> Hogwarts' Rivals
>  by ColtKit Productions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The human woman, in her early 30s with frizzy curls that she had long since accepted could never be tamed, looked at the horse that sat across from her. Together they sat on pillows at a fancy, low to the ground, table in an even more majestic castle. Hermione had to force herself to blink, so as to not appear to be staring at the creature.

It was a slender white horse with a literally flowing rainbow mane, she could not described it as anything less then the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. The horse even had a long horn and large wings... an Alicorn, a sentient pony that achieved enlightenment and ascended into a demigod. It didn't have reality breaking abilities but she was far more powerful then even Dumbledore.

The natives didn't worship Alicorns but they did hold them in very high regard, believing the very fact they could achieve enlightenment meant they were qualified to rule the nation (or at the very least a city state).

The horse spoke, with a voice just as beautiful, yet had a hint of playfulness to it, "It's been so long since a being from your dimension visited our own... not since Starswirl had his falling out with Merlin and the Hogwarts' Founders," she thought back with a smile, and strangely such an expression seemed natural on the short snout, "May I ask what promoted this occasion."

"No other reason then I'm a book worm," Hermione joked, with all the pride she lacked as a child, "I'm afraid wizard kind has forgotten you exist. As Minister of Magic, it's my job to correct that. I think it is high time we set aside our differences and reopen trade and intellectual exchange."

"Really?" Celestia smiled, "Then I'd be most thankful if you hoofed over the secrets of wand crafting."

"We already intend to," Hermione smiled, however Celestia dropped her cup. The expensive China turned into worthless shards as it collided with the table, hot tea spilling everywhere.

The Alicorn started at the human in complete shock.

Imagine, Earth Ponies and Pegasus being able to directly channel their magic through spells. It wouldn't just be ponies either. All races would benefit, Yaks and Griffins especially. They would be able to restore their homelands and grow food more easily. It would be the beginning of a true utopia for their entire world!

Still, Celestia had only been making the suggestion in jest... admittedly as a playful tease for past grievances.

The secrets of wand crafting was sacred to wizards. Refusing to share the knowledge was the very thing that caused Starswirl to cut ties with them. Wizards all but worshipped their wands. They were their most treasured possession, loved more then their own children! They refused to part with the secret despite knowing all the good it could do for Equestria.

Ponies had been trying to figure out the enchantment on their own but had no luck in the last thousand years. This... this...

Celestia regained her composure, however much she wanted this she would not take advantage, "A lot can change in a thousand years," she admitted, "But the wizards I knew... there is only one reason I can think you would be willing to share the secrets of wand crafting... you're scared it will be lost..."

Hermione sighed, losing her smile, "There was a series of wars, Dark Lord after Dark Lord. The wizarding population was always small, even if you ignored boarders and counted the numbers of our entire race... but they have never, in all recorded history, been this low. After three global wars across the wizarding worlds, far too many wizarding families were lost. Worse yet, muggle families, with any history of magic in their lineage, were hunted down and butchered in the last 2 wars. So now very few magical humans are being born even through muggle families...''

"With how difficult it is for magical humans to bring a baby to term... and with how many of those children being born without magic..." Hermione had always thought it was just blind prejudice that fueled pure bloods bigotry... turns out it was a result of fear of exactly this happening. Magic was a recessive gene in humans. Breeding with muggles greatly reduced the odds of it manifesting. It still could, like any fluke gene, but it was worse odds then having a ginger child (which was actually why so many wizards had red hair).

Hermione swallowed her pride and admitted the problem, "With the projected numbers, our Sages predict we only have a Generation, two at the most, before it really becomes an issue... but it will become more and more apparent as fewer and fewer children are born with magic... The Ministry is going to fall. We wouldn't go extinct, not by any means, but there is little hope future generations will be able to maintain a stable government. Not with how scattered wizards are across the planet... combined with our shrinking population. In order to insure that our culture, or at the very least our knowledge, is not lost we had to turn to the other magical beings for help."

The young witch looked intently, "I have opened up Hogwarts to all magical beings. This way they can learn our art in exchange for passing it down to future wizarding generations. I have also given the fallen seats of the Board of Governors to respected leaders of various magical beings. That way at least some kind of stable government can look after magical creatures. Human families still make up the majority... but not by much... and we expect many of their houses to go without an heir...''

"We won the war but not in time to save our world. I'm trying to craft a better one from the ashes that were left behind... The remaining Governors are so desperate and fearful of what will happen to future generations they are going along with my plan despite past grievances...''

"I want as many of your children as possible to enroll in Hogwarts, free of charge, and later attend our magical universities. In exchange for giving your people unlimited access to everything we know, we hope that you will teach it back to our future generations."

Celestia looked back with a calculating expression, before sighing, "You're asking me to take on the burden of shepherding your entire species. From what you're describing, it could very well be several generations before wizards can stand on their own again."

Hermione's voice went a pitch higher, realizing Celestia was on the verge of saying 'no', "Wizards might have forgotten you, but the other magical races haven't. They respect you. If you ask them to make good on their promise they will listen."

Celestia groaned at that. The very reason she thought she could afford not interfere herself thrown out the window, "You don't think they will actually help you once you lose control of the Ministry," she rubbed a temple with her hoof.

Equestria had been having it's own problems in recent years. Enemies kept flooding in to plunder the ponies. Ever since the Changeling Queen bested her the other races became aware of just how weak the Princess of the Sun had become. She was approaching the end of her life. Oh she had another century in her, easily, but she was old even by Alicorn standards. True she didn't look it but that's just a result of how Alicorns age. They actually became more beautiful and taller the older they got... but they still died eventually. It just took a few millennium instead of the average pony's 500+ lifespan.

Approaching the end of her life was the very reason Celestia had guided Twilight to enlightenment, and why she took in Cadence before that. She was setting up a new generation of protectors and rulers... for when she was gone.

She hoped to have an Alicorn ruling each city state before she was gone, but a project like that would require more time then she realistically had. It took Celestia 10 years to mold Twilight through one on one training... and she was a progeny... it would likely take even longer for another to do it... longer still to find somepony not only holding the potential for such greatness but who wouldn't abuse the power the way the original Alicorn Dynasty had.

However the changeling attack revealed just how weak Celestia had became. She was still more powerful then most creatures... but no where near the near cosmic power she had at her prime. She could no longer fight an army on her own... nor stand up to world breakers like Changeling Queens... Unfortunately Celestia's weakened state became public knowledge before establishing the strength of Ponykind's new protectors.

Oh Twilight and her friends had some victories under their belt. Those, although impressive, actually encouraged would be conquerors to test their metal. Twilight and her friends had to prove to the other nations they were just as powerful as Celestia in her hay day. Hopefully they had done that with their recent defeat of Tirek and gaining their newfound Rainbow powers (something not even Celestia had done)... but it was too early to tell.

Ponyville was just barely named a City State. Twilight didn't even have a functioning guard or even castle staff yet. If Equestria devoted resources to other dimensions, regardless what they could gain through trade, they would be opening themselves to all their problems as well.

If the other species of Earth were willing to help the humans then Equestria didn't have to invest resources they didn't have... but if the desperation in the witch's voice was anything to go by they were just taking the bribe and running.

"A lot can change in a thousand years," Hermione repeated Celestia's words, "We went into hiding from the muggles and forced the rest of the magical world to follow us. Wizards were not very kind in our efforts to protect them. They lost most of their lands and nearly all of their freedom. Even though I have been trying to make amends and give them a voice... they realize most wizards are only accepting them out of desperation... there are still a lot of resentment on both sides... some of the beings loyal to us have warned me the other races are just using the opportunity to learn our secrets... with the intention of abandoning us to our fates later on.''

"There is a large fear that without the Ministry guiding and protecting wizards from muggles... they will become aware of us again... and then the Witch hunts will start all over. If that happens it very well could result in our extinction this time...''

"Most wizards have moved into the wizarding villages near their schools... but those villages won't have the resources to sustain themselves without exports. They can't even grow their own food as they tend to be built in isolated areas where magic pollutes the soil. It's difficult to grow anything outside magical plants but none of those are safe to eat... The villages weren't built to stand on their own but rather a safe place sponsored by the Ministry... the races that do like us don't have the resources to feed themselves and us, regardless what we pay them. If we have any hope of the villages turning into city states of their own, at the very least, we still need the help of all the other races just to make that possible...''

"I read what Earth ponies can do. Even if the other races do leave us to our fate you ponies can at the very least give us the resources we need to one day survive on our own. Please, we need your help, all our other plans have failed."

Well... that settled that. Celestia put down her hoof and looked determined at the young human, "I can't, in good concious, allow your people to fall. Equestria will help you," she promise.


###


6 Months Later

There were small wizarding communities all over the world: Neighborhoods, shopping areas, even farming communities for magical plants... and they were all... terrified. They were randomly scattered throughout their respective country, and couldn't hope to survive on their own... So they wouldn't.

These ponies were amazing. They had runes that, when placed around the perimeter of anything as small as a house to as large as a city, would transport the entire land mass to anywhere else. Provided there where connecting runes to complete the transport... it was bizarre as all hell that they had this but not Floos. Turns out they just didn't have the ingredients to create Floo Powder. It simply wasn't naturally occurring on their world.

Ignoring that, the real question was, where to set up the mishmash of neighborhoods? The prominent wizarding villages, near the magic schools, were the obvious choice, but there was still the issue of them not being able to grow their own food.

After looking at the maps of each country, the Ponies got an idea. They saw how Hogsmeade was connected by train to the middle of nowhere.

The land was chosen by early English wizards strictly because it was isolated. It was a nice place for large groups of wizards to gather without issue. The station was connected to various spots all over the country by primitive portals. This was before the discovery of floo powder or the perfection of Apparation. The Station was only used for the sake of tradition at this point. Still it was safely tucked away in an ordinary forest... meaning it was not only isolated but had rich soil perfect for farming.

True the ponies could have not bother with this and just transform the soil around Hogsmeade, but they said that would take decades to fight against the chaos magic that infested the land. Even then, without an Earth Pony staying behind to manage the area, there was no guarantee it would stay fertile for the more mundane plants.

However if they moved all the wizarding communities to isolated, nonmagical, areas in their country the wizards could become self reliance again. They just had to connect all the new towns to the school villages by a private trainrail. Then ship food they harvested from these areas.

Once all that was settled they moved EVERYTHING. All the communities were teleported, freaking Star Trek Borg style, into a carefully laid out city for each country. The only thing that wasn't were the Ministry buildings of each nation, as they were moved into the village near their school. The Ponies said it would help encourage relations with the other races to have their embassies near the school while also making the cities more independent.

It was quite the ingenious design too. They set up various business and shopping districts, as well as had all the neighborhoods close together in a new wizarding Suburbia... but the ponies also kinda pissed off the pure bloods by not stopping at magical neighborhoods.

The ponies tracked down all the known descendants of squibs and, against the wizarding world's wishes, offered them the same deal.

Many muggle homes vanished out of muggle neighborhoods (with the smokescreen of fires, sinkholes, and various other natural discoveries destroying them). Then they reappeared in a new muggle district in the magical city. There weren't many families left with the magical gene dormant, a little over a thousand, so their disappears in the muggle world went unnoticed. Just a series of tragedies in a particularly unlucky year, if anyone even noticed.

Although the wizards REALLY weren't happy about the other muggles that were let into the new wizarding cities just because they were related to, or even just friends with, the Squibs descendants.

Ponies really didn't give a damn about that. Many of the Squib descendants had friends, spouses, and even their spouses' family that they were not willing to leave behind. The ponies truly did not give a "buck" about wizard prejudices and encouraged all these muggles to come to the new wizarding cities.

The ponies did their best to make the muggles comfortable, with encouragements to leave their old lives and live in a hidden city away from the rest of the world. It was a hard sell but the ponies helped them set up their own businesses in a District of it's own: Vets, clinics, Movie theaters, shops of all kinds, clubs and bars, even arcades and various hangouts. Celestia gave them all the funds they needed to open up their businesses. Celestia even ran a warehouses that specialized in acquiring muggle goods (that used their own trucks to retrieve the products from the muggle world).

The Wizards had come to call this area the "Mundane District", located right next to the Muggle neighborhood. These businesses were unexpectedly thriving in the wizarding town, as both Muggles and Half Bloods tended to still be drown to muggle gadgets. Even some Pure Bloods were at the very least fascinated by it. Only the most stubborn pure bloods stayed away.

When the Pure Bloods tried to argue they were politely told to shut up. Really the ponies had a point. Most of these people had the magical gene regardless if it was dormant. There was a greater chance, if they breed with someone who also had the gene, their children would be born with magic. The wizarding world was dependent on them if they wanted to increase their population quickly.

The regular muggles might be a harder sell but ponies had spliced together the city, even constructed the buildings for muggle businesses. There really wasn't anything the wizards could do about the muggles in their city. They couldn't even hide from them as the ponies frequently traded with them. At least ponies seemed to understand that, given Earth's history, outing wizards to all muggles was dangerous.

The muggles in the new city the ponies talked directly and convinced them to come... it was rather amazing how ponies could be so convincing through singing. Could they be related to sirens? That could be explored later. There were more important things to consider at the moment.

With Wizards and muggles living in closer proximity, and forced to interact by the ponies, it was inevitable they would couple.

Yes Squib children would be born more frequently as a result of this but Squibs still had a vague Awareness of magic, even if they couldn't cast it. Magic wasn't just a random gene. Wizards were an actual subspecies that evolved out of humanity. So their non magical descendants weren't as non magical as the wizards assumed. They could still make potions and runes and enchantments, even use them. They just lacked that extra kick that allowed direct spell casting.

The fact these muggles could do it made the Half bloods and muggle borns realize they weren't as muggle as they thought. Their magical Awareness was still there, just more limited and in need of nurturing.

The other magical beings on the council voted to have muggles with a dormant magical gene classified as Squibs themselves, and given the same rights as Wizards. The wizards really weren't happy about that but they somehow lost the vote.

Further proof that the descendants of squibs were still part of the Wizard Subspecies, was that ordinary muggles, without even a dormant gene, weren't capable of learning any of the magical craftsmen skills nor could they use the items.

This implied there were other, perhaps more dominant, genes Wizards had that they just didn't know about. Squibs had always had the sixth sense when it came to magic. Wizards knew this. Why, or even how, they came to the conclusion that the children of Squibs lost it Hermione didn't know. What mattered is they had it.

The Magical Beings looked to be right. Wizards might actually be a legitimate subspecies of humanity. Like how dogs came in so many different species that could all still breed with each other.

Something in their biology made wizards far more different then ordinary humans then they had thought... Hermione needed to find out what that was. Perhaps with a combination of Magic and genetic engineering she could make the spell casting gene more dominant.

The real issue wasn't breeding with muggles. It was the fact magic was a recessive gene. Even pure blood wizards had a chance of their offspring not having direct spell casting. That was what was killing wizard kind. They needed to stop yelling about Squibs and breeding with muggles, and start finding a way to correct their DNA.

The fact a few of the muggles, now living in the wizard city, were scientists helped a good bit. Hermione was now employing them in the research division of the Ministry. They were eagerly working with Wizards to discover how to turn a recessive gene into a dominant gene, without generations of careful breeding. The ponies were helping too, with an amazing understanding of both Science and magic they could help the two sides understand each other's terminology.

Still, regardless of this now common fact, the wizards still weren't happy about including any of these people in their society.

Since the Ministry refused to take responsibility for them, the ponies had to. The ponies opened their own primary school in Mundane Districts. It had just been finished and their first ever term would start in a couple days, just in time for the new school year.

However the ponies didn't stop there. They demanded the Minister require all wizarding children, too young to go to Hogwarts, attend this school alongside squibs and muggles. Usually wizards homeschooled their children themselves, or at the very hire tutors to teach small groups of child together. It was hard to get the human govenors to agree to this, but after Celestia gave a rather angry speech where she threatened to leave and let them all die, they didn't really have a choice.

The primary school would teach all the basic things kids needed to know. Unfortunately the ponies had to open up separate schools afterwards. A school to teach the true muggles the various Sciences in much greater detail. Then a school to teach those descended from schools magical craftsmen skills. Then the University the Ponies built would have all three groups come back together to study whatever they wanted.

Celestia explained this was how their own education system worked. They taught little kids the basics together. However, since each tribe had a different kind of magic they could use, they had to be educated separately as teenagers. Then they went came back together at universities, to encourage inter-tribe cooperation, before apprenticing directly for a trade under a master of it.

The Wizarding education system wasn't so different. Now they just had to make arrangements for muggle and Squib schools, in order to teach them based on their nature strengths, followed by a joint university to prevent complete separation of the groups... and since the pure bloods weren't letting Hermione do that the ponies would.

Effectively the wizards had developed their own three tribes in these cities. Representatives of each "Tribe" came together and formed their own kind of council together, under the ponies guidance, with an elected official at the top. Hermione was happy to see Percy Weasley get elected as The cities first Mayor. It might have helped that not only herself, but Harry Potter, gave him their official endorsement. Unfortunately the muggle candidate kinda got left behind... a glimpse into things to come?

Like the Ponies when they first settled together, the human "tribes" would have to learn to tolerant each other... and maybe... one day... they could even embrace each other...

Until then, it was off to school.
> Ch1: One Last Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle grinned like a loon as they stepped through the mirror and came out through a pony statue in the human world. She eagerly looked down at herself but frowned seeing she was still a pony. She looked at Spike accusingly, "I thought you said you turned into a dog last time you went through this thing!"

"I did!" Spike insisted.

Scootaloo deadpanned, "Still look like a dragon to me,"

The Crusaders, Spike, and their Sisters had just arrived in the new wizarding city of ‎Trestribuum. Looking around there sure were a lot of humans all over the place... but the ponies were definitely still ponies. They felt so small next to these huge creatures. Humans were nearly the size of Minotaurs! The adult ponies just barely came up to a human's belly and the foals were more then a foot shorter then that!

Still, Twilight smiled, and went into explanation mode, much too the horror of the children, "The dimensional frequency of this world is different then the one Spike and I last visited. Since magic naturally exist here the portal doesn't have to go to the same extremes to adjust our own frequency to match the laws of this dimension. I've been studying interdimensional physics ever since our visit to the other universe,"

The Crusaders' eyes glazed over as she talked, but they were too polite to interrupt... mostly because their sisters were right there behind them, hooves ready to whack a disrespectful filly upside the head. When Twilight was finally finished, Applebloom looked back at Spike and accused, "You didn't actually turn into anything, did you?"

"I DID!?" Spike swore, "It should have worked this time! I don't know why it didn't!?"

Twilight groaned at being ignored. Meanwhile her friends did their best to hide their snickers.

"Come on you lot," AJ advised, "We best get to the train station,"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "The train doesn't even get here for another 4 hours! I wanna check out the human city!" She turned to beg her honorary big sis, Rainbow Dash, "Think about all the awesome stuff we'll see!"

Sweetie Belle got the cutest expression she could, on her already adorable face, then looked up pleadingly at Rarity, "Can we? The humans brought all our school stuff to us so we didn't even get a chance to check out their shops!"

To promote the wizard schools, Celestia organized a kind of traveling convention at the start of summer break. All the magic schools traveled together to each of the major cities in Equestria. Each school had a different representative eagerly trying to bribe the foals' Guardians, well making their school seem funner then the others to the foals. All the schools were competing next to each other from booths, trying to get as many ponies enrolled as possible.

Hogwarts was the smartest about it, not only offering a full scholarship, but anypony who enrolled that day got a free trunk filled with all their school supplies. The trunk even shrunk to fit into pockets! The wizards even measured the foals for the school uniform and demonstrated how they could stitch robes together in just a few seconds, thanks to an amazing sowing spell. They were almost as good as Rarity! They even bragged that was the type of useful magic even Earth Ponies could learn! The Crusaders couldn't wait to go!

Unfortunately, this school convention, meant the kids only got a glimpse of human magic. They were hungry to see how the exotic creatures actually lived.

Even Spike got in on the begging, "Please Twilight. It be a great chance to observe wizardkind's growing culture,"

There was a spark in Twilight's eyes, clearly Spike knew how to push her buttons. Sweetie Belle was obviously having just as big an impact on Rarity. Even Scootaloo was playing to RD's adventurous spirit. The only one who wasn't really winning over her sister was Applebloom as she just loudly whined "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese". Actually she might be succeeding in annoying her sister into giving in.

Then Sweetie Belle swooped in for the kill against all their sisters, "This will be the last time you see us for the better part of a year. Don't you want to enjoy one last day together?" her words clearly effected all of the grownups.

"What do you think girls?" Twilight turned to her friends.

Applejack sighed, "It would be nice to spend our last few hours bonding instead of waiting for a train,"

"I would have to agree," Rarity nodded.

RD ruffled Scoot's mane, "I heard these wizards fly around on brooms. How about I get you one?"

Well Scootaloo beamed Applebloom ruined it by reminding everypony of the rules.

"They don't let first years have their own brooms," said Applebloom, only to get glared at by Scootaloo.

"Maybe we could sneak it in?" Suggested Sweetie.

Rarity eyed her disapprovingly, "Please girls, try to stay out of trouble," then sent the look at RD for getting Scootaloo's hopes up.

Rainbow Dash nervously chuckled under the gaze, "I was planning on holding onto it until she got back from school," at Scootaloo's disappointed look RD gave her a little shove, just to encourage her to start walking. As they walked away the blue mare whispered, in that far too loud way of her's, "We'll hide it in your pocket," getting Scootaloo to grin and the older mares to groan. Sweetie looked all proud of herself that they were taking her advice.

With that the group of ponies trotted away from the statue, and thereby the train station just behind it. Diagon Alley was just up the road and a broom shop was almost directly at the front of the district.

Scootaloo all but ran inside, with Rainbow Dash right behind her. The others had to hasten their steps to keep up.

###

Jasper Jackson stood in his shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, enjoying the last rush of shoppers before the students left for Hogwarts. He wasn't actually going to allow most of these kids to buy anything. Most of the children were, after all, first years. He wasn't a man to condone rule breaking, despite the attempts of some of the snobbier parents that tried to bribe him. It was just too dangerous. He only sold the best racing brooms and those were just too powerful for little kids. They needed proper instruction from the school before they could handle any of the brooms he sold. Still he saw no harm in letting the younger children browse his shop and dream of when they were older.

Suddenly a tiny orange pony jumped onto his counter and demanded, "Give me the best, most fastest, broom you got!"

Jasper just blinked, taken aback by the energetic little thing, before noticing a pair of wings, "What would a Pegasus need with a broom?" he couldn't help blurting out.

Instantly, the little filly's excitement for the tool, disappeared. She just kinda crumbled in on herself. Jasper couldn't fathom why.

He didn't have much time to ponder on it as a rainbow mare, presumably the child's mother, angrily flew over and grabbed him. She growled out, "Get. The. Broom." before shoving him away. 

The man quickly ran into the back, wondering how such a cute little rainbow pony could be so intimidating... and what he could have possibly done to warrant such a reaction. The man instinctively lingered on the other side of the door. He just stood there, in his storage room, dazed as if Stupified, and trying to figure what just happened... which accidentally allowed him to eavesdrop on the ponies on the other side of the door.

"Is... is that what all the humans will think if they see me use a broom?" he could hear the orange filly ask.

"Who cares what they think!" Snapped the rainbow mare, "It will let you fly kid! Soon you will be zipping around me!"

A new voice entered the conversation, "It's no different then using crutches, Scootaloo,"

"That's not helping, Twilight," answered the filly.

It didn't take long for the merchant to put the pieces together... he had inadvertently been mocking a disabled child... Bloody hell...

As the merchant worried about lawsuits or worse yet, boycotts, he quickly grabbed the best broom on the market before rushing back out.

"Here we have none other then the fabled Skybolt," He explained to the filly, "After the legendary, Randolph Spudmore, died the secrets of his creation, The Firebolt, were lost with him," Jasper played it up as overdramaticly as possible. It was simply his routine pitch, while attempting to sell it. Broom fanatics love a dose of lore. He should know, he was one himself. 

He continued,  "A little known muggle born, by the name of Richard Hart, was lucky enough to get the opportunity to examine the charms of that amazing broom. He was able to reverse engineer it, and even improve it through muggle ingenuity, into the Skybolt. This broom is made of a light weight polymer that allows for greater speeds. It is the fastest racing broom on the market, favored by professional Quidditch players,"

The ponies, Jasper now noticing there were quite a few of them, looked... confused...

"I think I understood half of those words," Said the orange filly, making the shop keeper groan. 

This was a first year if he ever saw one. Well of course it was, Jasper couldn't contemplate how such a small creature would be old enough for such a broom. He was just put into such a shock he hadn't thought... 

Ponies might have been involved with wizards for 6 months now but 3 of those months were at the end of the school year. Then they had moved into summer vacation. The ponies didn't exactly have the opportunity to join any of the wizarding schools until now... still... he couldn't exactly tell this kid no without getting sued by her mother... and, looking at the bigger picture, the last thing he wanted to do was offend the creatures that the entire wizarding world was dependent on for survival. 

Oh hell, one of their party was even an Alicorn! Those things were royalty!

"I don't normally sell to first years," Jasper explained, "But you look like such a special little filly I think you deserve it," he encouraged, "This broom is legitimately the best on the market, favored by professional wizarding athletes," Jasper dumbed down, "You can even shrink it without damaging the enchantments, as what happens with wooden brooms,"

The blue mare looked at the price tag and gaped, "I can't afford that!?" It was 5000 Galleons! That's over 10000 Bits! It cost a bucking years pay!

"Take it on the house," Jasper almost begged, "Call it a peace offering for the... earlier misunderstanding,"

The blue mare glared at him before snatching the broom, "It's the least you can do," she glared.

"I also have some safety gear," Jasper went on, trying to calm her, "And a few Quidditch books. It's a very popular sport in Wizarding England. It help your daughter to know what the other kids are talking about,"

"DAUGHTER!?" The mare blushed, her fur actually turning red from the embarrassment, "I'm 19! Do I seriously look old enough to have an 11 year old FOAL!?" she yelped, truly mortified.

Bloody hell! Jasper was just digging himself deeper! How was he supposed to be able to guess the ages of these creatures!?

The orange filly self consciously tugged on the blue mare's fur, "Can we just go?"

The rainbow mare sighed but nodded. As their party started to leave, Jasper had to do at least one responsible thing after handing such a broom to a first year, "Just, promise me you won't ride it until your flight instructor gives you the go ahead,"

The orange filly looked back at him, before hesitantly nodding her head and leaving with her family.

That could have gone better... and the filly was likely going to get in trouble for having the broom at school... Maybe Jasper could do something about that?

###

Scootaloo walked down the street, with her new broom tucked under her wing... it was the best flying broom in the wizarding world, so said the shop keeper... but honestly... the fact it was free and not really a gift from Rainbow Dash... it made it just a little less special... Scootaloo would have preferred a less advanced broom if it meant her honorary big sister actually bought it for her... she didn't want to say anything though for fear of being seen as ungrateful...

Then there was what Twilight said... the purple Alicorn compared it to crutches... and it was disturbing how well that description fit in Scootaloo's head... there was also the shop keeper's reaction when she first asked for a broom... that certainly hadn't help... A pegasus should be able to fly under her own power... but she never would... 

Well Scootaloo was training for the Equestria Games' flag competition... after Diamond made fun of her for not being able to fly... Scoot went to a doctor to figure out why she was having such a hard time with it. The Doctor took some Xrays and scans and... told her there was a deformity in her wings' magical pathways... they just didn't circulate magic like they were supposed to. They did other scans and made sure there were no other deformities anywhere else, luckily there weren't, but her wings were all kinds of messed up... and there was nothing they could do. 

A pegasus' body was just too big for their tiny wings to be able to lift them. They needed that magic in order to fly... but Scootaloo's wings just couldn't channel magic the way they were supposed to...

She really was disabled... and this broom was her crutches... using it would be like finally accepting she could never fly on her own... she just couldn't do that... 

Why did Twilight have to compare them to crutches of all things? Why did the shop keeper have to be such a mule about her wanting a broom? Why did all the wizards she was currently walking by have to give her such strange looks... 

She was so excited at the idea of having a tool to help her fly... but now she understood what it really was... she wasn't willing to use it anymore... she wasn't willing to give up on her dream... she wasn't willing to admit there was actually something wrong with her...

"Come on Scoot," Rainbow Dash got her attention, obviously spotting the mopey face, "Give it a try,"

"The Shopkeeper made me promise not to use it until the Hogwarts' flight instructor said I was ready," Scootaloo came up with an excuse that was technically true, after all, Applejack was right beside Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash sent a glare back at the shop in the distance. Then she sighed, "It's good your willing to keep a promise, even when it's something as hard as that... I'm proud of you kid," She ruffled Scootaloo's mane, thinking the promise was the reason Scootaloo was being mopey.

This made Scootaloo feel even worse. Now Dash thought she wasn't flying because she had such strong character...

###

As they walked, Twilight spotted one particular word that she pointed out to the others, "Ollivander's,"

The ponies looked at the shop curiously.

"Think it's the same Ollivander?" AJ asked.

"It is a wand shop," Rarity observed.

The herd curiously wandered inside. There they saw the same wand crafter that had been traveling with the school convention.

The man smiled as they entered, "Ah, The Pony Sages," he acknowledged the grown ponies as masters of their craft and protectors of their world... although he doubted the ponies understood the meaning of the title, "I hope the wands I made for your siblings are treating them well,"

Ollivander had been taking orders at the school convention that went through Equestria, making custom wands for ponies in exchange for a few of their hairs, feathers, or even horn shavings. What he didn't use for their wands he used to make others, so he was actually making a really good profit despite giving away thousands in raw materials and labor. He actually did something similar for the other magical beings that would be attending the magical schools... it had been a busy few months for him. He had been forced to use a Time Turner to finish all the orders before school started... there were more then 10 of him at a time in his shop, all trying to ignore each other well they worked. Needless to say he had grown much older in this last year. Thank goodness the average wizard lived past 200.

Still this business model had, inadvertently, caused a new tradition for magical beings, like the ponies. The older family members eagerly donated some of their essence to be used in a wand for the child that was off to school. Sometimes even donating the wood from a family farm or sacred tree. The wand chooses the wizard after all and what could be more powerful then a wand that echoes the love of your family. If wizard hairs held such magical properties, Ollivander was sure they would do the same.

The pony Princess smiled, "The foals have been sleeping with them, they love them so much,"

Well the children looked mortified, Ollivander looked proud. The Master craftsman looked at the tiny children, still the size of human toddlers, and encouraged, "A wand should be treasured so. They are sacred artifacts, not simple tools. An extension of your soul well being a separate entity all it's own. I'm glad you understand that," 

He was honestly a little worried that the magical beings he made wands for wouldn't appreciate them like a wizard would. Most wand craftsmen still refused to sell their wands to non wizards strictly because of that. Ollivander's willingness was the sole reason he was chosen for the role. Hearing how these particular children treasured their wands rid his mind of any lingering doubt.

The Sapient dragon child fidgeted a little, "Can I get a polishing kit?" he asked as he put a few sickles on the counter.

The princess sighed, "I just bought you one last month! How much polish does a wand need!?"

Yes the wands would do just fine in these children's hands, hooves, or claws... he just wished the ponies would stop putting the handles in their mouths.

###

After leaving the shop they wandered Diagon Alley for another hour or two before finding themselves in the mundane district.

Applebloom hopped about eagerly, "Muggles have such cool stuff!" she insisted.

Sweetie Belle squealed, "A videogame store!" she cheered, "I can find some cool new games for me and Button to play," she clapped her hooves excitedly.

Applebloom and Scootaloo smiled devilishly, "You mean your special somepony?" they choired.

Sweetie blushed, "He's not my special somepony!" She insisted but it was too late, the singing had begun.

The two other fillies began prancing around Sweetie Belle well chanting, "He's your special somepony! He's your special somepony!"

"Rarity!" Sweetie begged her sister for help. Her face, bright red with embarrassment.

Rarity just smiled, "But darling, I won't be there to help you with such things for the better part of a year. You really must figure out how to handle this on your own," 

Sweetie Belle huffed, "FINE!" and pounced at her friends, a three way wrestling war erupted.

Rarity sighed, "A lady doesn't resort to violence unless provoked," she repeated something she said often to her younger sister.

"They did provoke me!" Sweetie insisted as she pinned Scootaloo to the ground, only to be jumped by Applebloom.

Spike looked over the fight. He could feel the valuable seconds they were wasting. So he came up with a plan and put it in motion, "Guess we'll just go to the game store without you," and started walking away well signaling the older mares to follow. The mares studied their younger siblings a moment, before leaving with Spike, trusting his judgment.

The Crusaders instantly stopped. Screaming, "Wait up!" the fillies chased after them, the battle forgotten.

Twilight gave her little brother a proud kiss on the top of his scaly head.

When they got to the game store there was a big sign that said "Products Do Not Work at Hogwarts," The children crumbled.

"How come?" Asked Applebloom.

Applejack was strangely the one to answer, "Same reason your JoyBoys don't work near the Ever Free Forest. All that Chaos Magic glitches out electric anything,"

"I know an enchantment to get around that," Twilight smiled, "Go nuts," she encouraged the children.

"Not too nuts!" Rainbow Dash called after Scootaloo, before glaring at Twilight and doing her not quiet whispering. Luckily Scootaloo was too far away and too excited by all the human videogames, "Are YOU 'nuts' Twilight? I can't afford to buy Scoot EVERYTHING she wants. Not on a Wonder Bolts reserve's salary!"

Twilight smiled, "All you girls have to do is cover whatever console they pick out," she promised, "I'll buy all the games they want,"

"How generous of you darling," Rarity playfully teased.

Twilight smiled back, "That castle I got has a treasury the size of Manehatten," she embellished, but not by much, "I have more then enough bits to buy the girls a few gifts before they depart. Besides, I hate to tell you this Rarity, but you don't own the monopoly on generosity,"

Rarity gave a mock hurt, "Huff," 

"Look at this Girls!" Sweetie Belle got so excited she whinnied.

"Language!" Rarity automaticly scolded and got an unrepentant "Sorry!" in return.

"What you find Sweetie Belle?" Asked Applebloom.

"The Nintendo Switch," Sweetie awed, "Button was telling me about this. It's not the most powerful console ever, but it's got the best games of the year on it. Button says, since the humans in this city are off the grid anyway, one of the muggles started her own company to port over all the old Xbox 360 games,"

The girls stared at her blankly.

"Is that good," asked Scootaloo.

"That console is LEGENDARY in the human world. It still outsold the newest console by a million units just last year! and that's with the 360 being out of production for years! Graphics and stuff might have gotten much better on the new consoles but the 360 still has the best games in the last 10 years! The only games that come close to rivaling them are on the Switch..." 

The girls stared at the Switch in newfound awe. 

Applebloom muttered, "If the Trestribuum Switch has access to all those games..." 

"Hundreds of this worlds best games," Sweetie insisted.

That's when the girls started drooling.

Well they were daydreaming, Rainbow picked up one of the console boxes, just to check out the price. 45 Galleons, that's 90 bits. Yeah she could easily afford that with the money she had been saving for Scootaloo's Broom.

After all, Twilight wasn't the only one who planned all along to take the kids on a fun adventure through the human city before they left. It was the reason they got here so early... it might have been a little mean to let the kids think they were just going to wait at the station for 4 hours but the looks on there pleading faces was priceless. It was a great prank that the other mares actually went along with.

Once the girls left the store they slipped the bags of games into their pockets... Ponies are weird, thought Spike. They had so much raw magic that there was a literal bag of holding built into their flanks. A pouch that could hold thousands of pounds, without effecting them at all, right under where their cutie mark should be... Spike wished he had something like that. 

Surprisingly Scoot put her broom in there to. Spike would have thought she would want to carry it longer.

Spike just shrugged it off and pulled his trunk out of his robe pocket, a much less impressive pocket, before unshrinking it. Then it was a good 30 minutes deciding what games he wanted immediate access to on the train. 

Luckily he had plenty of time, as that's how long it took Twilight to enchant all their Switches. They had wandered into a nearby "vegan" restaurant so Twilight could sit and work well everypony else enjoyed a meal. When Twilight finished she hoofed over their Switches and said it was time to go. Spike put the games he really wanted to try in his backpack and the rest in his trunk, before shrinking it again.

"Looks like that took more time then I thought," Acknowledged Twilight, "We better get back to the train station,"

The children growned but Twilight just smiled, "How about we spend the first week of winter break here?"

"REALLY!?" The children excitedly exclaimed. Spike was practically bouncing!

Twilight looked over at her friends, "What do you say girls? We can get everyone out here before the actual holiday. We all have winter off anyway, so it's not like we would be slacking off from work," The entire winter season was a sacred time for ponies. Most stores were closed and each city had a shared food supply they rationed to all their citizens for free.

AJ smiled, "Sounds like a plan to me. Pinkie and I have been searching for new traditions to celebrate with our families anyway,"

RD nodded, "It would be cool to actually have time to check out everything here,"

Rarity argued, "We still have to actually ask Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy what they want to do, but I think it is a marvelous idea,"

The kids cheered, and couldn't stop talking about their Christmas plans, as they were led back to the train station.

###

The train ride was uneventful. They just giggle with delight as they played their Switches. Spike got mad a few times because the Crusaders kept picking games he had packed in his trunk, instead of the games he talked to them about while he was choosing them. Seriously that little dragon is just as bad as Twilight, everything has to be scheduled and planned. They ended up relenting to Spike each time, so as to not exclude him.

Applebloom was already starting to miss her family but felt, as long as she had her friends, it wouldn't be so bad... she really shouldn't have jinxed it.

Turns out the school separated it's students into houses, that way they can have sporting events and such. All the first years were marched in front of four long tables in the biggest dining room Applebloom had ever seen. Candles floated just under the ceiling, stormy clouds, like the ones that matched tonight's weather, echoed in the moving ceiling.

After getting off the train had been miserable. First years had to sit in boats in the rain. They couldn't even see anything, the fog was so thick. She could tell a lot of the wizards where disappointed, like they expected more. The storm must have gotten out of control from their weather ponies.

"Scootaloo," Applebloom smiled as her friend all but collided with the stool when her name was called. Scoot always was easily excitable. It would be pretty cool to see which house they would wind up in.

Scoot climbed into the high stool, well high for pony children anyway, well the wizard deputy headmaster brought the hat over. Professor Neville Longbottom, Applebloom thought his name was.

"Gryffindor!" The hat screamed the second it touched the edge of Scootaloo's mane. She didn't even have to put it on. That was the quickest anyone got sorted yet.

The Gryffindors cheered loudly, and clapped like maniacs. Oh yeah these were definitely Scoots kind of ponies, errr people. She quickly trotted over to them and sat down getting many a back slap and a congrats.

It only took a few other students before it was Sweetie Belle's turn. The hat just sat on her head like it did everypony else's, well they all waited. Applebloom wished she knew what it was doing.

"Hmmmmmmm," The hat sat on Sweetie's head, speaking into her mind so that she and she alone could hear it, "Brave, yes, very brave... but only with your friends encouragement. You think bravery is just recklessness unless there is purpose to it. So not Gryffindor, definitely not,"

Sweetie deflated but they would still see each other every day in class and even get together afterwards. It was definitely disappointing but not the end of the world.

"You still go along with your friends misadventures but only because your friends are involved. Hufflepuff maybe? You are loyal, remarkably loyal, that's a good Attribute to have, but your loyalty is not without limits. You ruined your sister's hat for a very important client because she offended you. Yes, I see, you fixed it, doesn't change the fact you did it," Sweetie looked down in shame. That definitely wasn't her proudest moment... but it got worse as the hat started saying some very hard things to hear.

"You can be very vengeful to those who cross you but your heart is not without compassion, important traits to balance each other... Ambitious... very ambitious... you want to be better then your sister. You idolize her but fear being forgotten, or worse remembered as only the little sister to a champion. It's hard being related to a Sage. Throughout the millennia I have known many of their offspring and siblings who felt the same way... and your right, they were forgotten to time... but not you, no, you won't allow it. I see such greatness in you, such raw untapped potential. you are cunning... so very very cunning. Not afraid to use displays of weakness against someone for the benefit of your goals. You capitalize on those moments without hesitation... and have that spark of... leadership. You can make the tough calls no one else is willing to... your friends often look to you to do exactly that... and you thrive on it... yes I can see you would do well in..."

"SLYTHERIN!!!" The hat called outloud.

Only a handful of Slytherins clapped, and those who did only seemed to do so out of a sense of obligation. Sweetie shrugged that aside as she took off the hat and went to their table. She waved happily at Scootaloo and the orange filly waved back, with equal enthusiasm. Neither noticed the strange looks that got them from their new housemates.

Well more students were called, Applebloom stood in horror. Her friends were in different houses! They wouldn't all be together anymore! Which house would she end up in? Either way she was going to leave one of her friends behind!

When it was her turn to wear the hat she almost jumped out of her fur when she heard a voice inside her head.

"Interesting, here's another easy one. Brave, reckless, but those aren't the traits you value most. No, you define yourself by your relationships. Hard working, always encouraging your friends to not give up and work hard for your cutie marks... and so very... very... loyal... easy to earn your loyalty well being almost impossible to shake... and compassionate, very compassionate, even to your enemies. I can think of no place better for you then..."

"HUFFLEPUFF!" 

That's when Applebloom started crying, right there on the stool in front of everycreature... she wasn't going to be with either of her friends... she hadn't realized that their last day with their sisters... would be their very last day as Crusaders...
> Ch2: Rebel Against the Establishment
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Albus Severus Potter... didn't know how to react. Yeah he heard about people freaking out over their sorting but he never heard of anyone actually crying over it. Even so, it did seem like the stereotypical Puff thing to do. They were notorious cry babies. If she had been in any other house this would have haunted her for her entire school career but since she was a Puff everyone would probably forget about it by tomorrow. It was just expected of them.

Still she seemed really upset over her sorting... Albus shifted from foot to foot. He never liked it when people cried. It made him feel so awkward as he tried to figure out what to do. Crying was almost as bad as yelling... although it really depended on the day which he thought was worse.

Uncle Neville, because Albus was related to everyone in the world, gently patted the filly and helped her get her tears under control. When her sobs turned to sniffles he gingerly encouraged her to take her seat. Then all her fellow Puffs crowded her to make sure she was okay, and no doubt to ensure her that their house was great.

He couldn't blame them, although a Gryffindor probably would. If it made him uncomfortable to see people cry, it was downright heart breaking to see such a cute miniature horse brake out into uncontrollable sobs.

The Slytherins were snickering well the Gryffindors looked disgusted. Merlin, the Ravenclaw just rolled their eyes as if the only emotion they had was exacerbation. Then the Puffs were freaking cry babies... Albus seriously couldn't tell which of these houses was worse.

He sighed... he would probably end up in Slytherin... everyone in his family thought he would. They kept reassuring him they would still love him no matter what house he ended up in... because none of then believed he had the makings of a Gryffindor like the rest of his family.

He tended to be... well he wasn't proud of it but he was pretty materialistic and manipulative, like a Slytherin... even his dad thought he would be a Slytherin. The man often told Albus stories about how the hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin and apparently he often wondered what his life would have been like if he had allowed it... Dad kept encouraging the boy to trust the hat, as fighting who you are can cause a lot of pain. 

"You choose who you want to be, and well it is important to try and improve yourself, you shouldn't condemn yourself for who you are," Dad had told him earlier this summer, "If I hadn't embraced all of me I never would have beaten Voldemort,"

Oh yeah, did Albus forget to mention,  he was Harry Potter's youngest son... kinda hard to find someone who doesn't know that... it also was the biggest reason everyone thought he would be a Slytherin... it was kinda bloody obvious how much he resented his dad. He loved him but it was hard being in his shadow. His father was the greatest Sage since Dumbledore. 

Everyone in the wizarding world hounded Albus and his entire family. Everytime Albus accomplished something people credited his father's blood, as if the fact the boy trained and studied hard had nothing to do with it.  Every test he passed, every trophy he ever got, everyone acted like it was his father's accomplishment...

Although it scared him... he kinda hoped he would be put in Slytherin. At least that would prove to the media he was his own person and not a clone of his father.

"Scorpius Malfoy," Uncle Neville called some time later into the sorting.

A blonde, pale, boy nervously stepped forward, eying the crowd as if they were going to eat him, and with good reason. The entire school was sending him the same looks they gave Albus. Looks that said, "I know everything about you because of who your father is," 

Unlike Albus, who was hounded because his father was loved, this boy's family was despised. They were the only Death Eaters pardoned after the war. The only ones who got away with their crimes. 

Albus knew why of course. Scorpius' grandmother had risked her life to save Harry. She lied to the Dark Lord himself to make him think Dad was dead, instead of just unconscious. Merlin even Draco, one of the most infamous Death Eaters, lied for Harry... even tried to stop his own friends from killing him... Draco's greatest crime, according to Dad, was that he was too scared to stand up to a tyrant. Not the Dark Lord, but rather his own father. 

Draco was scared to turn his back against his upbringing, despite knowing it was wrong... but still, even Draco had burst of bravery where he risked everything to help Harry... they didn't even like each other during their own school days. Merlin, hearing Dad tell the story they hated each other more then Voldemort hated Muggle borns, but Draco still lied to save Harry's life... so did his mother. Deep down they were good people, trapped in an unsympathetic culture.

"Gryffindor!" well the entirety of the Great Hall froze in shock at the Hat's declaration, Albus smirked. Looks like he wasn't the only one who wanted out of his father's shadow.

That thought proved true as Malfoy jr took off the hat, and revealed a huge smile, before eagerly making his way to the Gryffindor table... although none clapped for him.

Albus couldn't help but glare at the Gryffindors. Couldn't they see how hard Scorpius was trying? What he was risking? That boy, son of Death Eaters, was probably the bravest Gryffindor there EVER was. 

The house really had fallen, Gryffindors were just as closed minded as they claimed Slytherins to be.

A few more names where called, all kinds of bizarre names from all the different kinds of magical beings that were attending Hogwarts this year, until they got to Albus. When it was his turn he gave a mental scream of "SLYTHERIN!"

"Now now, no need to shout," answered the hat, "blimey, that's quite a strong will you got there. You hurt my ears, figuratively speaking of course,"

Albus flinched, "S-sorry but... I would like to be put in Slytherin please. My dad said you could choose your house,"

"Hummmm, seems he said I would 'take your choice into account', that's not exactly the same thing little one,"

"I belong in Slytherin, everyone thinks so!"

"They don't see what I do. Yes you are very ambitious, cunning even, but that isn't all there is to Slytherin. You are strong, even though you see yourself as weak... a strong sense of fair play... hard working, definitely not scared of getting your hands dirty but... Do you remember? A long time ago. That day when your brother was picking on you?"

Albus rolled his eyes, "Which time?"

"The day he pushed you off your broom,"

Albus flinched, "It was an accident,"

"You know it wasn't, true he was young and didn't think his prank through, but you were still stuck in the hospital for 3 weeks"

Albus shuddered at the memory. The healers had to vanish most of his bones and regrown them with Skele-Gro.

"You were quick to forgive him, even lied to your parents about what happened so he wouldn't get in trouble,"

Ablus got an image of a young James crying by his bed, begging forgiveness.

"You comforted him. Despite how much he wronged you... despite how much you hurt. You took the time to comfort the one who hurt you. So loyal to your family, so hard working and merciful. 

"Yes, I will admit, Slytherin is a good choice. You would do well there but where you would truly thrive is-"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

###

"Afterlight Spike,"

Spike grinned as his name was finally called. He eagerly ran over to the stool. Hopping up, he sat there, bouncing, as the hat was placed on his head.

"Oh?" He heard a voice in his head that wasn't his own, "Now here is a tricky one. Brave and loyal, hard working and chivalrous. Yes, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor are the obvious choices... but there is something... deeper... A great respect... for knowledge. There is no need to be ashamed little one. Liking books doesn't make you an 'Egghead'. I see, you want to be like your sister. Definitely no resentments there, but... I sense a healthy desire for admiration... Not Slytherin though, no, you might want to be admired but it is not truly a goal. You are content with your role in life...

"Apprenticing as a Scribe under your sister I see... interesting... you wish to record the passage of time... your breed of dragon lives for 10s of thousands of years, such a very long time, so many friends to lose. You think of it often... you want to make sure they are not forgotten... that is why you want to be a Scribe. Oh?" The hat chuckled, "You didn't know. Always fun to educate children about themselves... let's see. Too content for Slytherin, too sly for Gryffindor, too much of a troublemaker for Hufflepuff" Spike started to worry he wouldn't fit in any of the houses, "Fear not, little one, for there is one place you are perfect for, you get it from you your father,"

"But... I'm adopted?" Spike puzzled.

"That doesn't mean you can't take after your parents. Nurture is just as important as Nature. Yes, Night Light and Twilight Velvet are just as much your parents as they are Twilight Sparkle's and Shining Armor's. They love you. I can feel it from your wand. That's why you treasure it so. You can feel their love radiating from it whenever you touch it.

"You have your mother's courage and need for adventure, yet your father's caution and cunning... Oh? So they were part of an adventuring team in their youth. They have regaled you and your siblings with many tales of hidden treasures and battles... You love those stories and dream of having adventures of your own... Gryffindor after all, Maybe? Let's explore that a bit.

"They worked for Celestia in an expert exploration team, charged with tracking down lost tomes and magical artifacts. I see that is how they know the Princesses, how they could get a young Alicorn to become the foalsitter to Commoners... Celestia thought it be a good way to teach young Cadence responsibility, patience, and compassion... an unorthodox ruler this Celestia... More importantly, all this, your parents passed to you. You came from a family of heroes that treasure knowledge above all else. 

"But not Gryffindor, no definitely not. You dream of adventure but it is not what you truly value. It's not what you are most passionate about.

"You have your father's obsession with organizing and schedules. Oh? You thought you got it from your big sister? How cute. Where do you think she got it from? That Stallion taught you your respect for books. You want to make him proud. You can do just that in-"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Spike grinned as he took off the hat, but frowned seeing the dejected face of Applebloom... she had clearly been hoping that at least one of her friends would join her over at Hufflepuff. He let out his own, miserable, sigh. Then went to his table.

"Diamond Tiara," called the Deputy Headmaster, once Spike was seated.

The young drake glared at the evil filly. That was the foal that constantly bullied the Crusaders. The one that stooped so low as to make fun of Scootaloo for not being able to fly. The filly strutted, as if she owned the place. You think she would at least be upset her best friend had been sent to a different school. 

Spike knew it went against his pony upbringing to say, but there really was nothing redeemable about that girl.

###

"Hmmmmm, yet another tricky one," The hat spoke inside her mind. Diamond did everything she could not to react. She projected an air of false boredom, "Such an impressive mask, but I can see through it... You miss your friend. Don't bother denying it, I can tell. Your loyalty is not easily earned but it is quite ferocious... you wish you treated her better. Then why don't you?

"I see, trying so hard to live up to your mother's expectations. Your friend is from a much less wealthy family, still rich but not to your level. They are employed by your father, a large shipping company he relies on for getting his goods across Equestria... Even your friendship with her is an expectation of your mother... yet you truly do care for this Silver Spoon. She isn't scared to stand up to you and you admire that... Hufflepuff maybe? You could do well there, but no, you might value her friendship but only hers. Making friends isn't a priority for you. They hold you back...

"The diamond standard?... I see, the unbreakable Diamond... You've been groomed from birth to lie, manipulate, and crush anyone that stands in your way... Applebloom does just that. Her family is the most respected in all of Ponyville, but what of yours? Your great grandfather built that town, back when working Stallions were looked down on. He belonged in the kitchen raising the foals, but he refused. You admire that.

"He built an Empire and demanded the world respect him. If it wasn't for him Stallions wouldn't enjoy their status as mares' equals in your world... yet he was forgotten, it was the Apples fault for overshadowing his accomplishments... Only your family remembers him... he died a few years ago, just before you got your Cutie Mark... I'm sorry little one, you were close. 

"He left control of the family vault to your grandmother, Impossibly Rich, she is the new head of the family... but your father was trusted to look after the business side of things. That was a good choice. From what I can see in your head he is a compassionate businessman, yet intelligent enough not to be taken advantage of... he is a bit of a momma's boy though. Your grandmother is the only reason he stays with your mother... you wish he had the courage to tell them how miserable he is... 

"You value courage? Gryffindor maybe?... No, you view yourself as a bigger coward then your father, at least he stands up to your mother occasionally... usually on your behalf, I see.

"You strive to be the best. The smartest in class, Applebloom stands in the way of that to... so you tear her down... So very very jealous of this Applebloom. She has everything you want. A loving family, trustworthy friends, a right know it all you doubt ever has to study for a test... well you stay up late, every night, and you still can't beat her. Worse she doesn't even care about her grades. She just shrugs off her accomplishment like it's no big deal... as if competing with you isn't a priority or even an afterthought. She keeps making you look bad in front of your mother and she doesn't even care... You want to crush her...

"Can your cutie mark help you with that? You're not sure what it is even for... Manipulation? Not very flattering, maybe your mother's right about you... Oh? What's this? You want her to be wrong. You want to prove her wrong. Ambitious, so very very, ambitious. You want to live beyond your mother's expectations. You want to be your own pony but aren't sure how... I know the perfect place to help you with that,"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Diamond gingerly took the hat off and held it in her hooves. She looked at it a moment, then up at the Deputy headmaster. The human was smiling at her as if he didn't realize just how traumatizing this all knowing hat was.

"What is this thing?" Diamond asked, "How's it work?" she ignored her housemates causally clapping for her, most impatiently waiting for her too get off the stool.

The Professor smiled, "It's actually a pretty simple enchantment. It just echoes all your thoughts and feelings back at you. Sure it guides you but effectively all it does is help you pick which house you think you belong in. A lot of students tend to argue with it but truthfully they are just yelling at their own subconscious. I'm guessing you had a lot to tell yourself based on how long it took. My own sorting took just as long, but rest assured what the hat declared is the house you, yourself, think you truly belong in. Even if it's only at a subconscious level,"

The Deputy headmaster gently took the hat back, "Now go on and mingle with your new housemates,"

Diamond hesitantly nodded and slowly walked over to the Slytherin table. She didn't really care what house she had ended up in but... everything that hat said... it was actually just her own subconscious... everything... it was what she thought about herself... maybe she should be nicer to Applebloom... and write to Silver Spoon so she knows how much she misses her... then tell her mother to buck off... maybe not that far...

###

Albus shifted uncomfortably at his place at the Hufflepuff table... his entire family was still looking at him like he was crazy... none of them expected this. Hufflepuff was the house of cry babies, they were barely above Squibs in magical power... He felt like crying himself.

He looked over at the Pony that sat across from him. There were quite a few ponies in this house actually, and Centaurs and even Goblins, actually there were lots of magical beings at all the tables. However this pony was the one who made a complete full of herself in front of everyone. She didn't exactly help the Puff image. She was still sniffing mopely.

"I mean," Albus shrugged at her, "I'm pretty disappointed to being a Puff to," getting a few glares for that comment, "but no point crying over it,"

The pony sniffed, "That's not it..." she trailed off.

"What then?" Albus couldn't help but ask. He wanted to help her, but he was coming off as a bit rude. He just sucked at this.

"All my friends are in different houses..." she muttered.

Oh... OOOOOOh, "That really sucks," Albus acknowledged.

"Rose Weasley," Albus quickly looked up at hearing the name, temporarily forgetting the pony.

There at the front of the hall, he spotted his favorite cousin having the hat lowered onto her head. It took only a few moments for her face to change from excitement... to the face he feared to see. She had that "I'm going to unleash the 9 gates of hell onto you" look she got whenever she was mad. She actually appeared to be threatening the hat! That was crazy even by her standards. She was probably demanding it put her with Albus instead of the Gryffindors.

"SLYTHERIN!!!" Before Albus could process what the hat just said she ripped it off her head and flung it at the floor. Next thing he knew she was stomping on it!

"That's enough!" Uncle Neville roared at her, grabbing her roughly by the arm and pulling her away from the hat, "Get to your table before I give you detention for the rest of the year!"

"You can't expect me to sit with those slimy SNAKES!" She screamed. 

Wow Weasleys really did have some powerful lungs. Even the kids in the back could hear her. The Slytherins seemed equally adamant about her not joining them. Merlin, they were more tolerant of the magical beings then a Weasley.

"Go!" Uncle Neville glared at her, obviously very upset she dared hurt the hat. He pointed at the Slytherin table, unsympatheticly. However she defied him further. She spun around on her heels and marched as far away from Slytherin as she could get. It was very possible it was purely coincidence the table she sat at was Hufflepuff. 

She glared at all the Puffs, dangerously, daring them to send her away. The Puffs stayed silent, they weren't exactly known for their bravery. Even the pony, Applebloom, scooted away from her a bit.

What Rose had just done seemed to inspire Anarchy. Suddenly the Gryffindor pony, Scootaloo, grabbed hold of Malfoy and tugged at him to follow. She ran over to the Hufflepuff table. Albus thought she was going to be a Gryffindor and chase Rose away from the "Helpless" Hufflepuffs. However she plopped herself right in between Rose and Applebloom, wearing this big smile on her face.

Scorpius walked around the table and Squeezed next to Albus, presumably so he could be across from his first Gryffindor friend, the Pegasus. She had been the only one willing to talk to him his own table, Albus had noticed... Okay so Albus inherited his father's nosiness.

The Malfoy didn't even seem to register Albus until he was seated. Then he nearly jumped out of his skin as he spotted the Potter he sat next to. Albus eased him with a smile. Strangely it actually worked and the blonde calmed down almost instantly, smiling back.

The Slytherin Unicorn then ran over to the Puffs, signaling the reptilian Ravenclaw as she passed. The lizard got a huge grin on his face and rushed after her. Before Albus knew it he was surrounded by different houses, but it didn't end there. All the magical beings left their tables to go sit with their family and friends, now in different houses.

IT WAS COMPLETE ANARCHY!!! None of the Magical beings seemed to understand that they were supposed to hate each other now. Unfortunately the magical beings only made up the first year population. They were still vastly outnumbered by the wizards, who were yelling at them to leave their table and return to their own house.

Headmistress McGonagall looked like she was about to have kittens. She stood up and roared over the crowd, with the help of a powerful charm, "All students will return to their seats immediately!" All the first years crumbled but did as they were told, except Rose, "Honestly, in all my years, have I ever seen such wanting disrespect for school rules! I-"

Uncle Neville whispered something in her ear. Her face went from outrage to shock... until a small smile touched her lips. As if she just realized what actually happened between the houses.

As Neville pulled away she regained her composure, "Since so many of our new students seem in favor of this, we will make accommodations for new seating arrangements, tomorrow. However, tonight, I must insist you stay with your proper houses. That way your prefects can guide you to your common room and give you the password," Then McGonagall's eyes turned to Rose, still at Hufflepuff, "Any student who refuses to return to their seat will be expelled, REGARDLESS of who their parents are,"

Rose crumbled. As much as she didn't want to disappoint her father, knowing he would stop loving her the moment he got news of a Slytherin in his family... her mom might actually disown her if she was expelled. She gave one last pleading look to Albus, but realizing there was nothing he could do, she got up and sat with the Slytherins.

Albus blinked after the chaos ended... still not sure just what happened...

One thing for sure, all the older students were pissed, glaring at the first years and scolding them relentlessly for abandoning their house... this was definitely going to be an interesting year.
> Ch3: An "Uneventful" Dinner
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you seriously eating a Cheesecake for dinner?" Albus stared, dumbfounded, by the filly. 

Why were there even so many pastries on the dinner table? The prefects weren't letting the wizards, or any of the other beings for that matter, have a go at them. They kept saying the sweets were for the ponies and that everyone else would have to finish their dinner before digging into the pudding.

"Our bodies don't produce sugar," Applebloom explained what Miss Cheerlee taught her in biology class. The filly was still kinda mopey but it helped getting her mind on something else, "But we still need a lot of it to function. It's just one of the basic crystalline solids we need to stay healthy, like any other plant byproduct. Sure, too much of it is bad for us, but what we considered a 'Balance Diet' would destroy most creatures' livers," how did a Hufflepuff sound so... smart...

"Lucky..." Muttered a nearby Gith girl. 

The being had leathery / pale yellow skin, sunken in black eyes, and serrated / pointy ears. About the most Human thing about this humanoid was her red hair, and even that was an abnormal shade. Still Albus could feel himself bonding with this being over the unfairness that Ponies got to eat pudding for dinner.

"It's just how we are built," Applebloom waved off as if not understanding she was living every child's dream.

Some of the ponies were even choosing to eat bloody SALADS over the pastries! They truly didn't get how lucky they were.

Albus tried his best not to glare at them in jealousy and went back to eating his drumstick... but felt an uncomfortableness, as if eyes were on him. He looked up and saw the ponies around him had green faces as they watched him chew. Their fur had literally turned green around their faces.

Albus turned to the brown colt next to him and asked, with food still in his mouth, "What?" The little guy screamed and jumped a little ways away from his seat on the bench, getting strange looks from the Professors table.

"Button Mash!" Applebloom scolded.

"Not all of us grew up on a farm!" The colt blushed. Button had never actually seen ANYTHING eat meat before. Especially not a severed limb!

Albus was even more lost, as a Prefect came over and gingerly convinced Button to retake his seat.

"Ponies are herbivores, like my own people," A high elf boy explained. The kid was a good foot taller then everyone else, with skin made of an organic gold. Before the Statute of Secrecy, Muggles used to hunt them for their skin and organs. Even though Wizards never did it, that still strained things between them since wizards looked so similar to Muggles.

The elf spoke with so much snob in his voice, Albus was in awe that this kid was in Hufflepuff of all houses. The sheer power of his 'I'm better then you' aura put even the most inbred Slytherins to shame. The real kicker is Albus was sure the boy was trying to be polite! "We have merely grown accustomed to how uncouth predators can be," He sipped at his Pumpkin juice, actually sipping it but with no noise. He was so daintily and proper you would think he was having dinner with the Minister of magic. Bloody hell, not even Aunt Hermione expects such properness.

"You would think the least you could do would be to stop tearing apart a dead carcass with your bear hands and eat like a civilized being," the elf then demonstrated by elegantly cutting one of his strawberries with a knife and graceful carrying a disturbingly tiny bit to his mouth with his fork. He even chewed the thing as appealingly as possible. Albus didn't know it was possible to chew so gracefully. Then the elf looked at Albus expectantly. Merlin! This guy actually thought Albus didn't know how to use silver ware!

"It's a drumstick," Albus deadpanned, "You're supposed to eat it with your hands,"

The elf sighed with the truest exacerbation Albus ever heard.

"At least your better then her," the elf pointed down a little ways at a Gnoll girl.

The Humanoid hyena was grabbing at food and stuffing it down her muzzle, making all kinds of disgusting sounds as she gorged herself. Klingons, off that Star Trek show Aunt Hermione likes, had better table manner. Merlin, UNCLE RON had better table manners! The fact ANYONE could say that about Uncle Ron was terrifying.

"They believe it is an insult to the chief not to eat so... passionately," The Elf explained, with only the slightest hesitation to find a polite word to describe it.

"Really!?" Applebloom perked, "That's so weird! I wonder what other differences we have. I mean I guess I should have figured there would be cultural differences and not just biological. It be super cool to learn,"

The elf... smiled. It was an actual smile, filled with the deepest respect for the pony who was talking to him. Albus knew ponies were held in high regard by nearly all Magical Beings but a freaking High Elf! The most arrogant, self absorbed, race there was. They barely acknowledged wizards were sentient but he looked like he actually ADMIRED this pony! A bloody High Elf!

"One of our classes will be on Cultural Exchange," Informed the elf, "My Great Great Grandfather will be teaching it. It's a new program, just started this year,"

Applebloom's eyes light up. Albus could actually see dancing sparkles in her eyes... that was... kinda freaky, "That be sooooooo cool. I bet Spike will love it. He loves making friends with other creatures, errr 'beings',"

The elf suddenly frowned, "You should not let human terminology taint your vocabulary,"

Applebloom frowned right back, "The whole point of us coming to a wizarding school is to help them preserve their culture. We can't very well do that if we don't embrace the vocab,"

"Of course," The elf bowed to her wisdom. Literally bloody bowed! It was only a slight dip of his head but it was way too much to be a simple nod. It was almost as if the pony was freaking sacred to him!

Albus got that ponies evolved from things like the Pegasus and Unicorns of Earth but... actually Albus couldn't think of an arguement. It kinda made sense. High Elves greatly respected magical power, even in individuals from races they didn't respect. It was also well known that they worshipped Earth's unicorns for their purity, believing them to be the physical manifestation of Innocence. Like how Dementors came from death and dragons were the manifestion of magic.

Equestrian Ponies, although not the same thing, evolved from creatures like that in their home dimension. It just made sense High Elves would greatly respect that heritage. They probably didn't worship the ponies, as they do Earth's Unicorns, but they clearly respected them a good deal.

"Applebloom," the pony stuck out her hoof.

"Sindle," The elf shook it, smiling, "Sindle Granosin,"

"Nice to meet ya," Grinned the pony

"Charmed, indeed," Said the elf, sincerely. 

###

"Is that... Salt?" Scootaloo awed at seeing the human sprinkle salt on his baked potato.

Scorpius blinked, she seemed as impressed with his salt as he was with her dinner of cupcakes. The young Malfoy heir couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why. It was just salt. Sure it made everything taste better but not when compared to sugar... maybe salt was the pony equivalent of sugar?

"Want some?" Scorpius asked, holding it out towards her.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Strangely it wasn't the filly but the little colt next to her that yelped. He gave Scootaloo a scandalized look, "Scoot, you can't,"

"Relax, Rumble," Scootaloo gave a daring grin, as if she was about to go on an epic adventure, "The teachers laid it out on the table. Clearly it's for the students, right?" Scootaloo turned her grin at Scorpius.

The young Malfoy blinked, not sure why this was an issue at all, "Yeah..." he replied with somewhat of a baffled expression, "It's just salt,"

The orange pegasus let out an excited whinny as her wings fluttered. As she reached out to take it from him, Malfoy let out a yelp of his own. A stinging hex caught his hand and forced him to drop the shaker, salt spit on the table but he got the feeling his bad luck started before that, truly paradoxical.

"I knew it!" A much older boy screamed as he had his wand pointed at Scorpius from a little ways down the table, "You're trying to sabotage our house from within!" That's when Scorpius caught sight of the prefect badge. A bloody Prefect hexed him!

"The hay is the idea!?" Scootaloo glared at the Prefect, as Scorpius nursed his hand. It wasn't bleeding, nor injured in any way, but he could feel the slight pinch in his nerves still. Thankfully rubbing it caused the sensation to fade.

"That bloody Snake is trying to get you in trouble!" The prefect glared right back, but at Scorpius.

"By handing her salt?" Scorpius knew he would have a tough time in Gryffindor but he didn't think they would just make up stuff.

"Don't play dumb Malfoy!" The Prefect glared, "You know full well salt is the equivalent of Fire Whiskey to ponies,"

Scorpius blinked looking at the pony for confidence. She blushed and squirmed.

"I just figured you humans had a different salt licking age..." She squirmed.

"He was trying to trick you!" The prefect accused, "Salt doesn't effect a human metabolism like that. You still aren't allowed to have it until you are at least 17,"

"17!" Scootaloo gaped! That was a whole year longer then the pony salt licking age!

"He was trying to set you up!" The prefect insisted.

Scootaloo looked at him a second, as if asking for his side.

Scorpius sighed, so much for his first friend. He began to mutter, "I didn't know that... it's just salt... it just adds flavor for humans..."

"Quit trying to manipulate her!" The prefect demanded. Not hearing what the boy was saying but assuming it had to be a manipulation of some kind.

"Lay off him!," Scootaloo stood up, "He obviously didn't know and I misunderstood what was happening. Maybe you should have done your job and explained to us ponies we weren't allowed to have salt like you did with the other species before they grabbed at the sweets. I think YOU set HIM up!"

The prefects face turned red with anger, although the color didn't quite match his red hair. He honestly hadn't been trying to set anyone up. He just assumed the ponies would know better then to get into the salt.

"His whole family is nothing but murders and thieves! They were the right hand of the Dark Lord!" The prefect snapped, "He's just trying to con you like he did the hat!"

Scorpius sank further into his seat. He was hoping he would have just a little longer before the other magical beings learned who he was... now there wasn't a chance in hell he would have any friends.

Scootaloo glared, "I don't care if he was the son of Sombra! Whatever his parents did gots nothing to do with him!"

The prefect growled just before jumping up with a start as a voice roared, "Fred Weasley!" The Gryffindors were so focues on the arguement they hadn't noticed a Professor march over to the Prefect.

"Uncle Ha-"

"That's Professor Potter!" The teacher snapped. His Emerald eyes burning in anger. He reached out and tore the prefect badge right off the boys robes. The then held it up in front of the older boy's face, "You've had this for one night! One. Bloody. Night! And you're already using it to bully other students!"

"But uncle-"

"What made you think you could hex another student!?" Professor Potter demanded, "You're a Prefect! Even the detentions you hand out have to be approved. What could have possibly gone through you're head to make you think I would let you get away with that!?" The Professor glared angrily, expecting an answer but Fred just didn't have one, "Sorry I guess I should have said, 'You Were a Prefect,'" the Professor cruelly corrected himself.

The former Prefect's entire body drained of color, "Uncle! Please! I worked hard for that badge!"

"Be thankful you're not getting back on the train!" Professor Potter roared, "You realize the reason it took me so long to get over here, well you continued to make a right Arse of yourself, was because I had to talk McGonagall out of suspending you! Hexing another student is such a horrible misuse of your position it couldn't be more clear you shouldn't have it!"

The former prefect fidgeted under his uncle's glare. Looking down the boy muttered, "It was just a stinging Hex," unfortunately the man heard him.

Professor Potter gaped, "Did you honestly just say that to me!?" he no longer looked anger. In that split second, he was completely dumbfounded... before the anger started building again, even more intense then before. He pinched the bridge of his own nose and squeezed his eyes shut, taking deep calming breaths.

"I can't believe I thought you could be a prefect," Professor Potter muttered to himself, obviously not actually intending for anyone to hear him... but hear him they did. The hall was so quiet they could have heard a pin drop from the other side of the room. The man was trembling, he was so angry. He suddenly turned on his heels and walked out of the great hall, not looking back at the boy... and taking the badge with him.

The Deputy headmaster whispered something to The Headmistress, before leaving his place at the staff table and following after the Sage.

The former prefect shrank in on himself. The elder Potter child, that sat beside him, patted his back, "You know dad's got a temper fitting a Weasley. He'll calm down. Then, I'm sure, he'll give you your badge back,"

The former prefect was doubtful. He caught a glimpse of the Malfoy boy out the corner of his eye, remembering this was all his fault. The Weasley glared at the Malfoy with even greater levels of hate then before.

Scorpius groaned, why were adults such idiots? Even the Potter Sage had forgotten how kids think. Now the Weasley was going to work three times as hard to make the young Malfoy's life miserable.

Scootaloo... wasn't helping. All the good feelings that he got when the pony stood up for him disappeared as she yelled at the former Prefect, "Congratulations on your demotion flank face!" Bloody hell he could see why the hat threw her into Gryffindor so quickly. She was going to be a dangerous friend to have.

As that thought crossed his mind, the filly turned to him... and grinned. She smiled at him, all proud of herself and wanted to share that... with him... She looked at him like no one ever had. She didn't see the next dark lord. She knew who his family was and made a point of saying she didn't care... she defended him... all those sappy feelings came right back looking at that grin.

###

Sweetie blinked as the scene over at Gryffindor settled down.

"What was that about?" Diamond gaped.

"My guess is," Sweetie couldn't stop herself from answering, "It's got something to do with Scootaloo,"

Diamond had the gall to laugh, "I wouldn't doubt it," she then grinned at Sweetie like they were old friends.

Sweetie didn't know what her game was but she was having none of that, "You mind sitting somewhere else. That overly priced perfume you're wearing is bothering my nose,"

Diamond nearly collapsed in on herself, "Look Sweetie Belle, I'm sorry I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Sweetie glared, sure she was up to something. The only time Diamond was ever nice to her was when she wanted something and then she would stab her in the back! "Go be friendless somewhere else!"

"Merlin," Both the ponies looked over at the human girl that had caused the earlier house Rebellion. Honestly Sweetie just assumed, since the human girl sat at a different table, that anypony could do the same. All the other magical beings seemed to think the same thing.

The human girl ran a hand through her short red curles, "Even ponies are Bastards as Slytherins," she scoffed, all kinds of irritated at having to sit with them.

"Hey!" Sweetie glared, "It's not me! Diamond does nothing but pick on me and my friends back in Ponyville," Then she glared at the other filly, "Now, just cus her fellow bullies were sent to different schools, she thinks she can just pretend like nothing happened and all is forgiven!"

The red headed human blinked at them, as if she didn't realize other people had lives even though they weren't around her. Definitely Diamond's kinda foal.

"You two deserve each other!" Sweetie made an angry horse nose and all the ponies around her gasped. Then she picked up her plate and cup, with her magic, and stomped futher down the table. Sitting angrily at the far end.

Rose looked over at the pinkish purple filly, "Did you really bully her?" she asked, more out of curiosity... maybe wanting some verification that all Slytherins were evil... or... if she was truly being honest with herself... some proof they weren't...

The pony looked down in shame, "Apparently I'm very jealous of one of her friends... she's just collateral damage..."

"Apparently?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

The pony sighed, "The hat told me a lot of things about myself that were... hard to hear..."

Rose's eyes turned, dare she say, sympathetic, "Me to..."

###

Harry took deep calmly breaths as he gently closed his door, far too gently to be anything other then meticulous control, before plopping down in his favor chair.

In... Out... In... out...

Thawnk Thawnk

"Go Away Neville," Harry couldn't keep the growl out of his voice as he heard the knock at the door.

"You realize I can fire you for denying me access to your quarters, right?" Came the joking voice of the Depty Headmaster.

"You can not," Harry rolled his eyes. He was entitled to his privacy... at least at Hogwarts...

"Then I'll just have to stay here all night until you open the door," Neville was adamant but Harry didn't answer. After a few minutes passed in silence Neville asked, "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Bloody-" Harry stopped himself mid swore, "Fine, come in,"

Neville quickly opened the door and causally let it swing closed behind him. He took a seat across from the Sage and looked at him expectantly. However Neville didn't actually say anything, just sat there... looking... Merlin why did he have to be so good at this.

"I was this close to hitting him," Harry growled, the anger still in his voice no matter how hard he tried to banish it.

"You aren't your uncle, Harry," Was all Neville said and those simple words managed to calm him a great deal.

Still, Harry's voice maintained his doubt, "I certainly inherited his temper," Harry sighed.

"Harry," Neville was adamant, "You Are Not, nor could you ever be, your uncle. You could never hurt a child. Merlin you can't even bring yourself to spank your Potter Spawn, and James could certainly use a good whack," Neville joked.

"... I don't spank them... because I don't think I would know when to stop..." Harry admitted.

Neville sighed, "You're a good father Harry, and a good Uncle, but Merlin you can be as scary as Snape sometimes,"

Harry chuckled, remembering his most hated teacher. The one he honoured through Albus' middle name. Snape would probably get a kick out of the fact his name was invoked whenever the little Potter Spawn was in trouble. The man was far more complicated then child Harry could understand back then... fact was, for all his rough edges, the man had been just as much a hero as Dumbledore, "Surely I'm not that bad," Harry joked back. Neville just had a way with him. The Deputy headmaster could always calm him.

"Worse," Neville nodded adamantly, "I don't think even Snape would take a newly named prefect's badge away after one mistake,"

Then again, Neville also knew how to push his buttons. Harry glared, his temper flaring up again, "He hexed another student!"

Neville nodded, "And that is definitely something that shouldn't be tolerated, but taking his badge away, something he has worked obsessively for since he first came to Hogwarts... 

"Harry you know how important that is too him. You are always so much harder on the kids in your family then anyone else's. The very fact Fred Junior was able to impress you enough to give him that badge, despite the fact you hate nothing more then the appearance of nepotism, speaks values... then you literally snatched it away after one mistake, a very bad mistake, but honestly letting McGonagall suspend him for a month, and letting George have at him, would have been better then taking the badge away... you wouldn't have done that if it was any other Prefect in your house... I know you love the kids in your family but YOU know you expect far too much of them. They are, after all, just kids,"

Harry sighed, "... I know,"
> Ch4 Part 1: Common Rooms, Separate Houses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hufflepuffs didn't have that long of a walk, when it came time to retire to the common rooms. The Prefects led them right through the kitchens, basically next to the great hall. The Puffs saw a large herd of pinkish peach elves, no bigger then the pony fillies. The little elves wore black robes without sleeves, which were so short they barely covered their thighs. They looked like the type of adorable short robes wizards dressed toddlers in. The Hogwarts insignia was over their left peck and a much larger patch of that same design was on their back. Each elf had a leather, strangely comfortable looking, collar around their neck.

The little elves immediately stopped when they saw the crowd of Hufflepuffs, staring at one of the first years in particular.

"G-Grand Master," one of them muttered in complete awe, and soon all of the elves were on their knees, their arms stretched out far in front of them on the floor.

Sindle gave a causal raise of his hand, "Rise," that the much smaller elves quickly obeyed, waiting patiently for his words, "Though I certainly appreciate the formality," he spoke with regal authority, "I ask you not do that again in regards to myself. I will likely be coming through here frequently and I would hate for edict to interfere with duty,"

"YES GRAND MASTER," All the elves spoke as one.

"Return to what you were doing," Sindle ordered and all the smaller elves immediately began ignoring him. 

The prefects then began escorting the students through the kitchen. They had insisted Sindle walk up front with them when they first entered the kitchen, obviously expecting this. But after the house elves got back to work the prefects let the boy walk behind them with the other first years.

Button Mash awed, once Sindle returned to them, "Are you like, some kinda Elf royalty?" he squeaked. The other first year Puffs, including Albus and Applebloom, listening intently, as the older puffs behind them got to gossiping about their summers.

Sindle nearly scowled, until he realized who was talking to him. Then, he smiled. The reaction was almost instantaneous, "Hardly, my family is barely middle class," Although, 'Middle Class' by High Elf standard was still stupidly rich.

Strangely, the high elf lost his smile and spoke with a great level of sorrow, "You won't be aware of this, as it happened after Starswirl's falling out with our world, but House Elves were actually created by my people. The first were cauldron born, crafted through the skills of our greatest Alchemists. Then given to Merlin and his disciples, in recognition of their power and nobility... wizards have fallen far from their former glory but our pets still serve them dutifully,"

"Pets?" Button tilted his head.

"A House elf is no more intelligent then a dog," Sindle explained, "I do not intend that too be cruel, but in a literal sense. It was how we made them. We lacked the ability to make them smarter at the time. Our limits were met by giving them the power of speech. However, as cauldron born, they have incredible magical power, far more then wizards, making them worthy of respect. Still they need to be trained and looked after," His face looked truly disgusted as he went on, "Trusting them to wizards was perhaps the greatest mistake our elders ever made. They were meant to be companions and protectors, and wizrads turned them into slaves,"

Applebloom scrunched up her nose, "What's a... slave?" she hoped she got the word right.

The golden elf smiled, "You're race truly is the epitome of innocence. I will not be the one to destroy that by teaching you the meaning of such a word... I doubt you could understand the concept anyway," 

"HEY!" Applebloom glared, "I'm far from stupid,"

"I meant it as a compliment," Sindle smiled.

"House Elves have it much better now," Albus couldn't help himself, once they were out of the kitchen and away from all the tiny elves (who might take issue with a High Elf being corrected about anything). Unfortunately the High Elf just scoffed at him, so Albus insisted, "They do! My Aunt Hermione has done a lot to help them. Given them more rights, better protection laws, and letting them wear proper clothes. House Elves insisted they keep something to mark them as 'under a wizards protection', so they wear the collars now,"

Sindle was giving the slightest hint of a glare, the High Elf equivalent of screaming obscenities, although his voice remained ever proper and silky, "And you believe that erases of a thousand years of abuse, do you?"

"Of course not," Albus glared back, "What happened was HORRIBLE! I'm not denying that. But I never laid a hand on Kreature, and sure as hell never let him hurt himself. He's my nursemaid and one of my closest friends! You can't blame all Wizardingkind for something that happened TWO generations ago!"

Sindle's eyes soften, before letting out a sigh, "I suppose not, and I will acknowledge your parents' generation has tried their best to make up for the sins of their own parents," before his eyes harden, "But those sins will forever stain the soul of your species,"

"That's not true," Applebloom spoke up, shocking both the elf and the wizard.

Sindle sighed, "You don't even know what we are talking about,"

"I get the gist!" Applebloom insisted, "Wizards hurt House Elves, right? That doesn't mean you get to condemn them for something their ancestors did! That's not right!"

Sindle sighed, "House Elves are like the cows of your world. Animals, just intelligent enough to talk. Beings intelligent enough to constantly question their base instincts but not smart enough to have higher reasoning skills. Their intelligence, both for Equus Cows and House Elves, is actually a detriment as a result of this. Both are actually less capable then regular animals. Wizards chose to abuse that vulnerability. Turning what should have been a symbiotic relationship, like what you ponies have with cows, into a farce,"

"Whatever somepony did, NO creature is beyond redemption," Applebloom stated firmly, "And a child should NEVER be blamed for the crimes of their parents, especially not an entire species!"

Sindle sighed but let it drop. Her words hadn't actually convinced him but the last thing he wanted was to corrupt such a creature with his own cynical view of the world. There was no winning this argument for either side, so he chose not to participate any further.

Soon all the Puffs found themselves walking down some stairs into one of the large cellars, behind the kitchens. There were huge barrels that went up to the tall ceiling. They were laying on their sides and still that tall! 

A 7th year prefect went to one of the barrels, pressed against the far wall, "Pay attention," She ordered the first years as she took out her wand and tapped a rhythm on the spout of the Barrel.

As the lid of the giant barrel swung open, like a door, the male 7th year prefect informed, "We will practice the pattern before leaving for breakfast tomorrow. Normally you are free to leave the common room any time after 6AM, but tomorrow we need everyone to stay behind for orientation," Then signalled for everyone to climb inside the barrel.

They walled down the slope through the barrel, that was strangely longer then the barrel itself, before entering an even larger room. It had a relatively low ceiling, with an Earthy feel to it, and bee like decorations and furniture (black and yellow). There were high windows looking out towards the Forbidden Forest, which also showed that the common room truly was underground... for the most part that is.

There were plants, of every color, all over the room, and vines going up the dirt like walls. An old, well maintained, painting of some witch was over the fireplace.

"I suppose this will due," Sindle delicately put.

The Gnoll girl scoffed, "It looks like they gutted the area of everything natural, then stuffed it back in,"

"Indeed," Sindle agreed.

Applebloom shrugged as she trotted inside, "I like it,"

"As I said," Sindle shrugged, "It will do,"

###

Spike grinned like a loon as he, and the rest of Ravenclaw, followed their Prefects up the wide staircase of one of the towers. They were marching by year, with the 1st years in front, just behind the prefects.

"You notice?" Dinky Hooves got his attention, suspiciously whispering to him as if she made a dangerous discovery. She kept looking back at all the older students.

"Notice what?" Spike whispered back.

"The wizards," Dinky pointed out, "There are only 3 to 5 in each year. Are human classes supposed to be this small?"

Spike blinked and looked around at all the wizards. There were a lot of kids in total but Dinky was right, each individual year had barely any.

"Think the other houses are like this?" Spike whispered back.

A Centaur boy behind them suddenly leaned his head down to get in on the conversation, although he was still so far above them it wasn't funny, "I noticed the same issue in all the houses. The humans outnumber us solely because of how many grades there are. My mom says there used to be 15 to 20 wizards in each year per house,"

Spike slumped, "I knew the wars hit them hard but..." he trailed off

Dinky, however, was looking at the Centaur suspicious.

The Centaur shrugged at her, "My mom wanted me to make sure the wizards weren't lying about how much their population had fallen. She asked me to count all the students,"

Spike gaped, "Why would they lie about something like that!?"

The Centaur shrugged, "Wouldn't be the first time they lied to us in order to steal our secrets,"

Dinky sighed, "Are all Centaurs so paranoid?"

The Centaur crossed his arms and looked stood back up, "When it comes to wizards we are," he admitted, well making it seem like it was the wizards fault.

The entire group of Ravenclaws suddenly stopped as they arrived at a large regal looking door.

"Centaurs spend too much time star gazing," speculated a nearby Tiefling. The girl looked like the Christian version of the devil. Red Skin, twin horns, sharp teeth, and a long furless tail, "It rattles their brains,"

The Centaur leapt in front of her, the freakishly tall boy (Thanks to having his lower half being a quadrupedal horse body) staring down the human sized girl, "You want to repeat that!" taking it as an actual insult instead of the playful snark it was intended.

"That's enough," Snapped one of the younger prefect boys, "Beygas, stand at the other side of the line!"

The Centaur stiffened. Showing he was actually a few inches taller then the teenager.

"Now or I'll give you a detention," The Prefect threatened.

The Centaur, Beygas, sneered but did as he was told, walking over to the far left of the first years.

"You okay?" Dinky asked the Tiefling. Yeah the girl was a little rude but she didn't deserve that kind of reaction.

The humanoid shrugs, "No problem, I could have taken him," she insisted.

"Gryffindor wannabe," one of the witch's snickered, getting a glare from the Tiefling. The human shrugged, "Relax, half my family are Gryffindors. A little boasting is good for the soul,"

The Tiefling raised a hairless eyebrow, but the human wasn't done, "Especially when you clearly about to get your arse kicked," grinned the witch.

Strangely the Tiefling grinned, "Like I would fall to a horse's arse,"

"WHAT THE HAY!!" Dinky gaped.

The Tiefling blushed, a strange purple color apeared on her cheeks, "I didn't mean you!" she insisted.

Dinky gave a dismissive huff, whipping her mane back and sticking her muzzle in the air. Her eyes were closed for all of a moment, but then she peeked back at the red girl and smirked.

The Tiefling rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

Spike shook his head, so much bantering. They were worse then Twilight! He never bantered, nope, never. Dinky suddenly wacked him upside the head with tail.

"Oh yeah," Dinky smirked, "NEVA EVA!"

"Quit reading my mind without permission!" Spike glared.

"Not gonna let you get away with lying," Dinky gave a cheeky grin, "Even to yourself, what would Applejack say?"

Spike huffed, crossing his arms in a full on pout.

Dinky rolled her eyes and muttered, "Not like I can help it," making Spike feel all kinds of guilty.

The human girl gaped, "You're a Legilimen!"

"A what?" Dinky blinked, "No I'm not a, whatever that is. I'm 1/4 Time Pony. I inherited a little bit of time magic from my dad. Daddy doesn't know if I'm gonna get my Hourglass or a regular pony cutie mark... I hope it's an hourglass," She confessed. All proper Time Ponies had some kind of hourglass cutie mark, "But I only got one heart so probably not," she moped. 

Time Ponies were like Phoenixes. They lived as long as Alicorns but took it a step further. They could flat out cheat death by regenerating into a younger body, adding millenniums to their lifespan each time. Unlike Phoenixes they could only do it 12 times, so they weren't truly immortal... still... Dinky couldn't do it at all... she had too much regular pony in her blood... The second heart is what let Time Ponies Regenerate but she didn't have one... she was lucky her biology was just Time Pony enough to let her use time magic... Even then she could only go back in time a few hours, stopping time was way easier though... at least when it was just her.

The Tiefling was staring at her in awe all the same, she had clearly heard of Time Ponies. The witch girl just looked confused.

"What's time magic got to do with mind reading?" The Witch asked.

"I have limited psychic powers to," Dinky explained, "But I can't really turn it off. I am constantly picking up everyone's surface thoughts and can't always tell where it is coming from. I can only really look deeper them that by touching some creature... I also see into the 4th dimension, but daddy put up barriers in my mind so that I can only really see the stuff if I focus on it... my brain is similar to a regular pony's to handle all that information," she moped

"... 4th dimension," The witch was stunned, for all of a moment, "You mean you can see the future!"

"Kinda," Derpy's Heir shrugged, "I can see all of history, all of it. Everything that has happened, everything that is happening, and all the infinite possibilities of what COULD happen. But like I said. My brain can't handle it. So Daddy set up magical barriers to block it out. Unless I specifically focus on something I only see what is happening around me at that moment. My normal Perception isn't really any better then yours,"

"Well Pony eyesight is better then most creatures," Spike shrugged.

Dinky rolled her very large pony eyes, which took up most of her head.

As she did, the prefects stopped as they came to a large door. They seemed to finally reached the top. This walk would get old real fast...

A 7th year Prefect stood tall as she directed everycreature to look at the door knocker of a Bronze Eagle, "Alright first years, listen up, in order to enter Ravenclaw you need to use the knocker and the Eagle will ask you a riddle. It's a different riddle each time and if you can't answer it, and a Prefect has to let you in, then you will spend 15 minutes sitting on the stool in the corner with the Dunce cap on your head. It will give you a proper tongue lashing for shaming Ravenclaw. This is the house of Intelligence. You should be smart enough to answer a simple riddle," 

All the first years squirmed worriedly.

"You," The 7th Year seemed to point at Spike but then said, "Kobold, knock on the door and answer the riddle," so Spike looked around for the Kobold.

The Centaur nudged the little dragon, "I think she means you,"

"I'm not a kobold!" Spike yelped, causing the 7th year to blush.

The other 7th year prefect teased, "Yeah Pansy, Kobolds are a lot skinnier and have much longer snouts. Maybe you should wear the Dunce cap for a while,"

As the younger children giggled, Pansy blushed and demanded, "Shut it Nathan!" at her fellow Prefect. Then looked back at Spike, "Lizardfolk, whatever you are, get up here,"

Spike huffed, "I'm not a Lizard either," but obeyed the order and stood by the door.

"Mind telling us your Species," Nathan smiled, "So Pansy stops getting it wrong,"

"I'm a dragon!" Spike glared, all kinds of irritated.

"An Equus Dragon," Dinky supplied, "They're Sapient, like the 'True' Dragons of your world,"

Nathan tried, he really did, but he just couldn't stop himself. He burst out laughing.

"Shut it!" Pansy demanded, blushing feverishly.

"You called a Sapient Dragon a Kobold!" He kept laughing, "You're lucky he didn't burn your face off!" he was in hysterics, "How about next you go find that High Elf kid and call him a house elf?" he fall on the floor, gasping, but still wasn't able to stop laughing.

Spike blushed, "It's not THAT funny," he muttered. Then looked at the other prefect, "You want me to knock now?"

"Please..." Pansy sighed in exacerbation, well Nathan was still laughing.

Spike reached up for the knocker... but he was far to small to grab it. Stretching out his whole body, and even standing on his tippy toes, but he still was a good foot away from it. This made Nathan laugh even harder, well Spike just blushed, feeling incredibly stupid as well as tiny. Pansy tried to pick him up to help him but Spike refused the offer. Spike stopped making  a fool of himself and looked around. He spotted a very large, at least compared to him, chair. He walked over to the fancy thing, clearly only for decoration, and picked it up. 

"That's a thousand year antique!" Pansy yelped.

"Then get some stairs installed in here before next time!" Spike snapped back as he put the chair in front of the door and climbed up it.

Finally able to knock, the Bronze Eagle asked, "30 white horses on a red hill. First they champ, then stamp, and then stand still,"

Spike... blinked... feeling stupider by the second. He stood there for several seconds, not having a clue.

Pansy growled, "Come on! It's an easy one!"

Spike looked up at her, completely lost.

Pansy growled, "It's Teeth!" and the door unlocked and swang open.

Before she could demand the little dragon get the dunce cap, Spike yelped, "How is THAT teeth!?"

"People have 30 teeth on red gums. They "champ" and "stamp" when you chew,"

Spike looked down right angry now, "How am I supposed to know how many teeth a human has! I have a hundred and fifty!" Spike opened his mouth to reveal 3 rows of very tiny, and very sharp, teeth... on purple gums. Seriously that riddle would legitimately make no rational sense to the little dragon.

Nathan, who had settled down a bit, started laughing all over again.

Dinky spoke up, "Ponies have 40 teeth," 

The Centaur scoffed bitterly, "My people only have 20, as our teeth are much larger then humans, better for grinding plants," as if even his teeth made him superior to humans, "Once again wizards show how prejudice they are. I mean really, assuming little kids should know your biology as if it was a matter of common sense," he huffed.

The prefects were all blushing. A 5th year insisted, "We aren't the ones who charmed the riddles!"

Nathan got control of himself again, "I'll ask Flitwick, he's our head of house, to update the riddles," he promised as he wiped away a tear away, "For now everyone inside and off to bed. Flitwick will address everyone in the morning before breakfast,"

However frustrating that was the first years still marveled at the wide circular room. There were bookshelves on most of the walls and stars painted on the dome ceiling. 

Dinky smiled, "Reminds me of home,"

Spike blinked, "How?"

She gave a cheeky grin, "It's bigger on the inside," 

###

A/N:
Doctor Whooves is not the ponified version of Doctor Who. Rather he is an AU version of him. Doctor Whooves was born in the pony universe as an alien Time Pony, and lived a pony version of the Doctor's life. 
> Ch4 Part 2: Common Room, Separate Houses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch4, Part 2: Common Rooms, Separate Houses


A/N:
I know I said there was a Gnoll girl in Hufflepuff, the one talked about in this chapter is her sister.


###

Rose wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do. She wanted to distance herself from her housemates. After all, if she didn't accept being a Slytherin then she really wasn't one. However she appeared to have already made a friend in one Diamond Tiara.

That was particularly horrifying as the little filly seemed to embody everything a Slytherin should be. Watching her interact with the others in her house she seemed to be able to get anyone to do anything she wanted. In one night she successfully convinced every Slytherin first year to join her ranks. All but that Sweetie Belle girl.

Slytherin was a house with a clear hierarchy. Rose had learned it within moments of joining, if not by choice. Yet the moment Diamond entered the common room she tore that system apart. Even some of the older students were bending to her will. 

She just had a way about her. From the poisoned silk tongue of hers to the way she carried herself. It all screamed "Obey me or suffer" with such sheer power and authority you couldn't help but believe she could make your every waking moment miserable... and yet... there was something behind all that confidence. A strange vulnerability. It was what attracted the Weasley to the filly. 

She missed her friend and was clearly distraught Sweetie Belle wouldn't accept her apologies, yet she refused to show it to anyone but Rose and... Fizzface...

Vys Fizzface was a Gnoll. The bipedal hyena had gravitated herself to Diamond, as if smelling out the future Alpha of Slytherin. All canines instinctually had a strong appreciation of hierarchies and this one sides with the winds of change. There were other Gnolls all over the school but this one appeared... legitimately dangerous. Well as dangerous as a first year could be.

"We need to win over Applebloom," Diamond explained as they sat around a table in the early morning hours, discussing strategy. Strangely they weren't the only Slytherins doing this. Many other little clicks were doing the same, whispering and conspiring so that their group would be on top.

Slytherins really were every bit the social climbing masterminds they were stereotyped as... yet their reasons where less selfish then the stories said. Vsy, for example, was the heiress of a large merchant family for the Gnolls. Apparently her family had sent her out here with the specific purpose of creating new contacts to the other races... and she wasn't the only one.

All these kids... they weren't evil or hell spawns. None of them wanted to rule the world or even the school. Most were just concerned with helping their families... because their families were forcing them to constantly think of the future... to excel at everything... to be perfect... Rose could relate. 

It disturbed her how much she could relate to these kids. All her life Rose had been told how to act and how to think... Bet dad would love to hear he acted just like an overbearing Slytherin mother... and Mum... you couldn't grow up with the activist turned Minister of Magic without constantly being told what your opinions should be.

Diamond seemed to understand that... late at night they talked about their parents... Diamond's overbearing mother and inattentive doormat of a father... and Rose's own parents. So concerned with saving the world they barely even noticed they had a daughter, unless they were correcting her... Rose had become somewhat of a bad girl because it was the only time her mother made time for her.

Rose had overheard other Slytherin first years, whispering to each other in the dark. They all had similar experiences. They all wanted to make their families proud, and the only way to do that was to excel at everything... and they needed to work together to do that.

"The cry baby Hufflepuff?" Vsy blinked, getting Rose back on the matter at hand.

Diamond smirked, a near devilish smirk that sent a chill down Rose's spine, "The CMC are basically the leaders of all the foals of Ponyville. They would have to be. Their older siblings have not only saved the planet on multiple occasions but they are advisors to the Princess of Friendship. Will probably become our town's governesses when Ponyville becomes a city state. That will make the CMC legitimate nobility, something mom has always wanted. They will have all kinds of political, social, and business connections we could use on that alone.

"Let's not forget ponies’ natural charisma with the other races. With how respected they are by the ponies it is only a matter of time before the magical beings take notice and flock to them. If we incorporate ourselves to them before that we will be part of the CMC's inner circle which will open up many doors to the other races and help all our families,"

Rose stomach turned... had she misjudged Diamond? Was this all just cliché latter climbing for her? "There has got to be more to it than that," Rose glared at the small pony.

Vsy eyed, "Isn't that enough?"

"No," Rose glared, "I don't want to run around the school manipulating people. If that is what you two want I'm out," she stood up and was about to leave... when she saw a second of panic in Diamond's eyes. It was only there for a moment, then buried so quickly no one was the wiser. It caused the Weasley to pause and hear her out.

Diamond looked considerate, calculating... and so so vulnerable, "I was a horse to Applebloom these last few years... I... I want her to forgive me," Rose melted with the same sympathy she felt when she met the foal at the Sorting, "But everything I said was true. It will benefit you to get on her good side as well,"

Diamond straightened up in her seat, looking strangely tall despite her small size, "You get them on your side then we get all the ponies. Which in turn gets the other magical creatures from all houses. The CMC don't work like a traditional hierarchy. They are each trusted to lead on matters where they are best suited to. Scootaloo is trusted with leading them through their 'adventures' given her insane plans that somehow always work, Sweetie Belle is trusted in more morally grey areas and social matters, and Applebloom? She is their heart. She handles situations of a more personal nature. The CMC all have their own strengths and they trust each other to properly lead them in those situations. If we are able to get Applebloom to... forgive me, then the others will follow, even Sweetie Belle. Then we can use their connections to strengthen our overall goals,"

"What do you need us for?" Vsy eyed, "If you went to the Hufflepuff alone, all lonely and pathetic like, she would be more likely to forgive you out of pity. Wizard Hufflepuffs are all bleeding heart. You should focus on exploiting that. Having us with you will actually put a handicap on your plan,"

Diamond shrugged, from the glint in that smug expression it was obvious she already thought of that, "Let's call it 'emotional support'," She said with a sarcastic lip but Rose could see through it. She was being entirely sincere... the filly was scared to go to Applebloom alone and beg forgiveness.

"Alrigh," Rose nodded, "I'll help,"

###

Gryffindor


There was a loud banging on their door, waking up all the girls. One of their prefects stuck her head into the room and ordered the first years up. Many a Gryffindor gave a groan of despair but unwillingly obeyed.

Scoot yawned as she stretched out her front legs well fluttering her tiny wings. The other girls were climbing out of bed and grabbing some toiletries from their trunks. They hadn't really had time to chat last night. Every creature fell asleep the second their heads hit their pillows. By Celestia, most of them hadn't even brushed their teeth. Now Scoot felt gross plaque over her chompers.

Half asleep Scootaloo crawled out of bed and went to her own trunk at the foot of it. She opened it up and realized it was still set to her videogame stuff. Closing the trunk she turned the dial under the lock to 4, then opened it up again. Now there were a bunch of toiletries in various compartments at the top, with towels and washcloths in the actual trunk part. Her games nowhere to be seen. This particular section had enough shampoo and toothpaste to last her the year. She picked up one of each bottle and a toothbrush.

"Why didn't you just get a bottomless shampoo bottle?" A tall, bulky, green girl raised a bushy brown eyebrow at her. Her tusk making her sound like she was talking with her mouth full.

Scoot blinked, staring at her, "That's a thing?"

The orc girl smiled, "Never underestimate the power of Wizarding laziness. It's caused them to think up all kinds of bizarre conveniences," she rolled her eyes. She slammed her fist over her chest and introduced herself, "Ghak,"

Scootaloo blinked, not sure what that was about, but she did recognize it as the creature's name from the sorting. It must be how her race introduce themselves. Scoot figured she should do the same. She casually dropped her stuff and punched her own chest as hard as she could, "Scootaloo,"

The orc smiled, appreciating the gesture, while Scootaloo gathered her things back up. The two stepped into the bathroom at the back of the dorm and got into the communal shower. Most of the girls were already in there.

Ghak wanted to keep talking as they washed, which Scoot didn't mind but all the humans seemed bashful for some reason.

Scootaloo had a much easier time than usual drying herself off, thanks to her wand. 

Ghak raised an eyebrow as she toweled herself, "You know magic already?"

Scootaloo groaned, "It was HORRIBLE!!! Applebloom made us study this stupid book called '101 Simple Spells for Beginners'. Then she made us read all our textbooks!!! I wasted my whole summer doing SCHOOL WORK!!!"

Ghak nodded with sympathy, "Couldn't you just tell her to go (What's the term) 'buck' herself?"

Scootaloo's snickers turned to giggles. Then quickly devolved into near hysterical laughter. "Applebloom would kick my teeth in if I told her that. Although she would probably fix them with one of her potions. She actually did that once," Scootaloo laughed, "Besides, Spike wanted to study too and Dinky is just as big of a bookworm. Sweetie kept talking about what a great idea it was to get a leg up on the other students. Button Mash just went along with whatever his mare friend said (he's kinda a push over). Rumble and I got out voted, and badgered the whole time. By Celestia, why do all my friends have to be such eggheads,"

Ghak smiled, "Maybe you need someone to level the playing field,"

Scootaloo blinked as they wandered back into the dorm, "Hey yeah!!! Want to have breakfast with us? I need more ponies on MY side,"

"Depends what your side is," Ghak smirked.

"Copying the answers off my egghead friends after spending our school days playing hookie," Scoot grinned as she fiddled with the knob on her trunk again and opened it up to find a bunch of clothes.

"Sounds reasonable," Ghak agreed.

Scoot frowned as she pulled on her white dress shirt and Gryffindor vest, "You should know it probably won't actually work like that. My friends have NEVER tolerated me slacking off school work. They are tough friends to have,"

"All the better," Ghak punched her chest again, "I wouldn't tolerate having weak friends, either in character or physical power. You ponies are supposed to be as strong as Orcs,"

"Stronger," Scoot boasted, banging her own chest to empathize her point.

Ghak threw her head back and laughed, "That is what I like to hear!"

Scoot smiled and slipped on her Gryffindor tie. It was really weird her uniform changed colors when she got sorted, kinda cool though. Lastly she pulled on her robe. The pony robe was designed to hang loosely off them while curving to show off their cutie mark... or in Scootaloo's case, her blank flank. The back of the robe went over her tail and curved to cover her lower legs.

"Don't ponies wear pants?" Ask Ghak.

Scootaloo shrugged, "Sometimes but they are a real pain in the flank, literally. They are hard to get on and harder to take off. It's just not practical to wear as part of a daily uniform. So when Rarity designed them she kept it less formal and more practical,"

"Right," Ghak looked down at her own uniform she just finished putting on, "I heard one of the pony sages designed the uniforms for all the creatures attending," 

Hers took into account how tightly Orcs like to wear their clothes but was cut in such a way it allowed for nimble movement. They even had a bit of magic in them to make them fit whoever wore them. Yet they didn't suffer the clumsy cuts usually such clothes were made with. Ghak didn't know anyone outside of an orc tailor who knew how to properly make clothes, and these she wasn't even directly fitted for!

"Yeah," Scoot rolled her eyes, "She was a major pain about it to, as she made us model for her,"

Ghak's eyes popped out of her head, "You know the Pony sage!!!"

"She is Sweetie Belle's big sis, and Applejack is Applebloom's. Rainbow Dash is sorta an honorary sister for me," Scoot grinned proudly, "and Twilight is our tutor and Spike's older adoptive sister,"

"The Princess of magic is your TUTOR!!!" Ghak gaped, well the other girls listened.

"Friendship, not magic... although she is the Avatar of Magic for the Elements of Harmony," Scoot paused to think on that.

"You have connections to ALL the pony Sages!!!" Ghak yelped at just how important her new dorm mate was.

"Well... EVERYPONY knows Pinkie Pie. I'm pretty sure she's got friends in other dimensions... guess I do to, now anyway. So maybe that isn't as hard as it sounds." Scoot thought, "And Fluttershy runs the local animal shelter and let's foals come in to play with the critters. I don't know a filly in Ponyville that doesn't spend at least part of their weekend at her place,"

Ghak shook her head good naturedly, "Talk about being born with a silver spoon," she joked.

Scootaloo figured she wasn't talking about that braty pony. The young pegasus tried not to take the jest personally... but she couldn't, "Oh yeah real silver spoon. Look, I just know ponies but that is hardly a surprise with how active they are. Everypony in Ponyville knows the 'Sages' personally. They make a point of it," 

She wanted to scream about how unfair, and even bucking unnatural, it was to be a Pegasus that can't fly. How that was likely the reason no pony wanted to adopt her. How her parents died when she was a baby and she was raised in an orphanage. How every pony that did show interest changed their minds after talking with the 'Warden' of the orphanage... even Dash... she wanted to cry as all those old wounds were opening up.

What was wrong with her? She usually had thicker skin then this. The Orc just made a teasing, off hoofed, comment. She didn't mean to upset her... it was probably just the mental injuries she got from that stupid broom which made her so raw.

She pushed it all back, all those unwanted feelings and insecurities, and smiled. She forced herself to laugh off the joke and not make a scene.

Shortly thereafter they went downstairs.

###

"Fred," 

The stuffy heir of the prankster king looked up at his Uncle... as the man handed back his badge.

Awed tears began filling Fred Junior's eyes, but he was too 'grown' to allow them to fall. Looks like James was right. Uncle Harry just needed time to cool off.

Still, Uncle Harry had a serious look on his face, "Don't think this means you're going without punishment. You have detention cleaning bedpans in the hospital wing for the next 2 weeks,"

Fred deflated, but it seemed others thought he deserved worse.

"OH COME ON!!!" The orange Pegasus bellowed, "You're giving him his badge back!!!"

Fred glared over at her while the Malfoy spawn ran over to her.

"Come on Scoot," Malfoy guided her away, "We don't want any trouble," 

An orc followed them away, how fitting.

"Fred," The older boy paled hearing the growl in his uncle's voice. Fred Junior gulped looking back to the Sage, "This will be my first and only Warning," the man wagged a finger at the teen, "You stay away from Malfoy and his friends. We clear?"

"Yes Sir," Fred nodded, already thinking of ways around that rule.

Harry didn't seem to notice the plotting, he merely warned, "Behave," before going off towards Malfoy.

Scoot glared up at the man who rolled his eyes at her, "I need to speak with you a moment,"

"Whatever you have to say in front of me you can say in front of my friends!" Scoot snapped at her head of house. Her sense of fair play badly injured by this human giving the bully back his badge.

"Alright, It's about your broom," Professor Potter crossed his arms.

Scootaloo tilted her head, really not expecting that, "You mean my Skybolt?"

"YOU HAVE A SKYBOLT!!!" Malfoy howlered, being overheard by all in the common room.

The entire student body of Gryffindor snapped at attention. They were all gaping at the words "Skybolt".

Harry sighed, he was trying to be subtle but that never was one of his strengths, "Yes... your Skybolt," he confirmed, mostly for the other students. They were all completely quiet, "The owner of Quality Quidditch Supplies told me you got one from him and I just need to set up some ground rules. Given your circumstances I will allow you to keep it," as where Harry expected rejoicing, instead the filly lowered her head. Her face wore a level of shame he didn't understand. He could talk about it with her later, as to not embarrass her in front of the other students. Instead he continued with his rules, "However, you will not fly it until Madam Hooch says you’re ready. You may not let any first years borrow it," 

Harry spoke louder, looking around the room, "AND IF ANYONE TRIES TO BORROW IT WITHOUT PERMISSION THEY WILL BE EXPELLED. I will have elves monitoring the broom in case students get any funny ideas. Don't get caught up in it being a superior racing broom. Instead focus on the fact it cost more than a flying car and is considered an act of grand theft if handled without permission. Depending on the Headmistress' mood will determine if we call the Aurors on top of expelling you," That was more a bluff really. Knowing McGonagall the kid would probably just be suspended after a few hours’ worth of a tongue lashing. It was kinda impossible to expect all the kids to be able to resist the temptation. The were just kids after all. Although it really was worth more than a flying car...

Looking back at Scootaloo Harry insisted, "If after Madam Hooch gives you the go ahead you better not fly it without supervision. You need to at least ask a house elf if you want to fly it until 5th year. And that goes for everyone you let borrow it. Understand,"

There was a choir of "Yes sir" from all the students... except the one he was really talking to. The little filly looked so forlorn about the whole thing and Harry got the feeling it had nothing to do with restrictions on her broom.

"Alright everyone, go down to breakfast, classes start in 2 hours. It will take everyone at least that long to find them," As everyone turned to leave, Harry held his hand in front of Scootaloo, once again trying to be subtle. This time in an attempt to get her to stay behind without the other children noticing. By the looks he got from her new friends, and the firm nod towards the door from Scootaloo, it was safe to say Harry's skills at subterfuge had gotten better.

Once everyone was gone the Pegasus asked, "Yes Professor," in a much meeker voice, her mind deep in thought.

"I was wondering if you had anything you would want to tell me,"

The pony bit her lip, debating something in her head before answering, "No Sir,"

Harry nodded, he didn't figure she would want to talk about whatever was bothering her, especially not to a stranger. They would have to get to know each other a little better before he could dare attempt to force the issue, "Alright, just know my door is always open... and tell me if anyone is pestering you about your broom. I know you won't but I am obligated to say that as a grownup,"

Scootaloo blinked, then smiled at the man's humor, "Yes Sir," She saluted with her hoof, as her wings were too small, before running off to catch up to her new friends. Both of whom were waiting outside the portrait the dorm used for a door.
> Ch5: Tough Calls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I was just being jealous." 

Apple Bloom's eyes widened comically. Diamond nearly stopped there but Rose nudged the purple-ish pink earth pony with her knee.

They were in the great hall. All the long tables had been removed and round ones had been placed in a checker board pattern. There was one long table in front of the teachers table, with plates and plates of food. The Headmistress told them to sit anywhere after getting a meal from the buffet. 

The Ponyville foals and their new friends had eagerly claimed one... Albus was with them, but so was that Malfoy child. A boy Rose's father insisted she hate due to the fact he had a playground feud with his father in school. Seemed kinda petty to Rose. Albus didn't seem to give a damn what their family thought as he sat right next to the pale blonde boy... teaching him how to play a muggle trading card game, with a little wizard magic thrown in. As illusions of the monsters came to life on the card once it was laid down.

Rose had to nudge Diamond again as the filly still wasn't saying anything.

Diamond sighed. "You just had everything, Apple Bloom. A loving family, friends that aren't chosen for you."

AB frowned. "What about your dad? He seems pretty cool.”

"Daddy is great but he is usually out of the house, running the family business... I don't get to see him often... and mom... mom raised me to be exceptional, at everything. Anything that doesn't reach perfect is a shame to my family." Diamond gulped. "You... you have gotten me in a lot of trouble over the years. My mom keeps making snide comments about how I am 'second best' in class. And you never even noticed! For years I tried to beat you in class and you never cared that you beat me everytime! You didn't even know my name until I... until I started picking on you..." Diamond made circles with her hoof, "I'm sorry, Applebloom. I was just so jealous."

"It's okay." Applebloom surprised the other crusaders. "I forgive you."

Sweetie Belle stiffened. Scootaloo, on the other hoof, looked enraged. "Well I don't!!!" Scoot snapped, banging her hoof on the table. "Do you remember what she did during the flag carrying tryouts?"

Diamonds ears pinned. "I'm really sorry for that too, Scootaloo," she insisted. "I shouldn't have teased you for being a late bloomer."

Scootaloo scuffed and looked away. Applebloom recaptured her attention and inclined her head to Diamond, as if giving Scoot a silent order.

"Fine." Scootaloo's wings buzzed. "You can sit with us but you're on probation!" Then both the Crusaders looked at their final member.

Sweetie Belle sighed. She didn't say anything but scooted over to let all three girls fit. Eagerly they sat at the table and looked around at the odd mix of creatures. Most of them were human or pony, but there was also an orc and a tiefling.

"Sindle!" Applebloom suddenly called as she saw a high elf walking away from the buffet, with the most neatly organized plate ever.

The elf smiled and started walking towards them. The orc immediately stiffened... then so did the elf when he caught sight of her. The creature made of graceful gold immediately turned on his heels and walked away.

"Sindle!" Applebloom gaped. She instantly got up and ran after him, not understanding what just happened.

Her friends stayed behind.

"Where ya going Sid?" Applebloom asked once she caught up to him. "Didn't you see us?"

The elf remained tense. "I saw you," he admitted.

"Then why ya goin' the other way?" asked Applebloom. "Don't you want to eat breakfast with us?"

"You honestly expect me to break bread with, with, THAT THING!!!" The entire hall went quiet as they heard, for probably the first time in any of their lives, as a high elf raised his voice. The elf spoke with clear venom and scorn.

"What thing?" Applebloom tilted her head, not understanding just how big a deal this was. She just thought he was a little upset over something. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout?"

The elf sneered, a truly ugly expression on his beautiful face. "Innocence really is just another word for ignorance."

Applebloom's eyes began to tear up. "Why are you being so mean? I ain't done nothing to you? We spent all night talking, 'member."

The elf's face tried to twist back into something polite and formal, but he couldn't do it. "You're the one that chose that orc filth over me." He tried to keep his voice calm, but it still dripped with rage and hurt.

"I ain't choose nothing over nobody!" Applebloom glared, her eyes still misty. "You're the one leaving!"

An arm suddenly thrust between the two and a teacher dressed in formal Hufflepuff robes stood over them. "Why don't you two cool off for a bit? Sire Gransonsin, feel free to eat in the common room.” 

The elven boy nodded and stormed off. 

The teacher then turned to Applebloom, "Lady Apple a moment please." He directed the earth pony out of the hall as well.

Before she knew it, Applebloom was sitting in an office, with her food magically teleported to her, from her friends' table.

The human sat at his desk, eating his own food while drinking a glass of red wine. There was a plaque on his desk reading "Professor Ernest Macmillan, Head of Hufflepuff."

"You will have to excuse Sindle." The human teacher assured. "I imagine it was just a bit of a shock for him."

"But why?" Applebloom sniffled as she looked down at her plate. "Did I just lose a friend?"

"I doubt it," the teacher assured. "Sindle is in Hufflepuff for a reason. I doubt he will let this ruin your friendship. He is just a little upset."

"But why?"

The teacher frowned. "There was a dark lord soon after your kind broke contact with our world. He captured many high elves and tortured them, corrupted them with dark magicks down to their very souls. He created orcs as his own personal slave army. The physical power of a high elf, pushed to their very limits and beyond, complemented by a warrior's instincts and an unflinching loyalty. I'm a little shocked she wasn't a Hufflepuff, honestly. Orcs are known for their hard work and devotion but I guess the 'warrior instincts' won out for her. Probably for the best. An orc and a high elf in the same house together? They probably would have caused a cave in."

Applebloom sat there, thinking. "So all of this is over some dark lord from a thousand years ago?"

The teacher smiled. "What can I say? Elves know how to hold a grudge."

Applebloom shook her head. "But that ain't right! It's not their fault how they were born."

"No it isn't, but raiding elven villages and murdering and kidnapping elven children to make more of them is. They don't do things like that now but they were at war with the whole of the magical world for hundreds of years. Articles of war where written up solely based on the atrocities orcs were willing to do. They still get some flack for that, especially from the various elven races, high elves in particular.

"High elves look at orcs and see themselves, corrupted and twisted. Orcs look at high elves and see what they used to be, weak and snobbish. It hurts for them to look at each other. The reason wizards approached the orcs at all was because we hoped they could relate to us. They should understand... about wanting forgiveness for sins their ancestors, not themselves, performed... 

"You shouldn't involve yourself, little pony. Even if you do, by some miracle, get them to tolerate one another they would likely be disowned by their families for the scandal. I know ponies want everyone to be friends but if you try to do that here, you will likely ruin their lives."

###

"That's just STUPID!!!" Scootaloo insisted as she walked to class with her new friends, and Rumble.

Ghak just finished explaining why the elf acted like that at the idea of sitting with her.

"They can't actually blame you for something your great great great great great prandmother did like a billion years ago!"

"924," Ghak corrected. "And elves are weak in ALL ways, especially character. They bred a slave race with their magics, then get mad at wizards for using them."

"What's a slave?" Scootaloo blinked. She bet Applebloom would know.

Ghak sneered. "Creature's forced to work without money.”

Scootaloo tilted her head. "Why would they want to do that?"

"They don't have a choice," Ghak explained, "they are beaten or killed if they disobey."

Scoot tilted her head to the other side. "You're having me on," she said, using a phrase she heard the Humans use in their dorm.

Ghak looked at the small pony... and sighed. "I forgot what I was talking to for a moment. I doubt you can even comprehend such evil."

Scootaloo tilted her head again and thought hard on it. "I think Sombra did something like that to the Crystal ponies. He made them fight for him or he would hurt them and... kill them." Scootaloo shuddered. "We heard about it in history class but we never had a word for it... slave."

Ghak looked over at Scorpius. "I think I just corrupted one of the purist creatures in existence."

"Yep, you're going to hell." Malfoy grinned teasingly.

"What's hell?" Rumble asked.

"Yep." Scorpius nodded. "Definitely hell bound."

Ghak rolled her eyes well Rumble pouted, figuring he wasn't going to get an explanation.

"But honestly." Scorpius oh so subtly backtracked the conversation. "I think people have more reason to hate me then you," he told Ghak. "It wasn't that long ago my father was working for a more current dark lord."

Ghak nodded with sympathy.

"Seriously hope that doesn't follow my family line for a thousand years." Scorpius sighed and Ghak patted his shoulder.

"It shouldn't," Scootaloo insisted. "Neither of you should be blamed for something your ancestors did."

Scorpius smirked. "My dad is very much alive, thank you."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. Thoroughly distracted from the notion of hell, if only accidentally.

Scorpius looked over at Rumble. "So are you one of those Cutie Mark Crusaders Scoot was telling us about last night."

Rumble snorted. "No. Way. I got better things to do then worry about some butt sticker."

Scootaloo grinned. "Rumble just doesn't want to risk earning a Cutie Mark that isn't about flying fast."

Rumble glared. "Least I got standards. You'll see, Scootaloo. I'm going to work my wings off until I can fly as good as my brother. Then I'll be accepted into the Wonderbolts, just like him, and we will be a famous sibling team!"

"You don't need a cutie mark in flying to be a Wonderbolt," Scootaloo pointed out. "They accept anypony, as long as they're good enough."

"I won't just be good enough." Rumble puffed up his chest. "You'll see. I'll be the best! You should really join me and my brother during training instead of doing all those crazy cutie mark adventures. My brother used to teach at Flying Camp before he joined the Wonderbolts."

"As a reserve," Scootaloo snarked under her breath, unfortunately Rumble heard her.

Rumble glared. "Dash is only a reserve too! Bet she would skin your hide for talking like that is a bad thing. You know what. You're uninvited to flying practice."

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "I can't even fly!"

"I was GOING to show you some wing training exercises, to strengthen your wing muscles and get your magic flowing better." Scootaloo's eyes widened as Rumble held up his head, snootily. "But I guess not."

"Come on, Rumble!" Scootaloo bounced in front of him, "You got to show me!!!"

"Why should I?" Rumble huffed. "You wouldn't be interested anyway. My brother taught me the exercises and he is only a reserve."

Scootaloo blinked. These were Wonderbolt exercises? Why hadn't Dash taught them to her? Ignoring that for a moment. "Come on Rumble, I didn't mean anything by it! You're not really going to not help me over a joke are ya."

Rumble glared at her. "You haven't even said sorry yet."

"Sorry sorry sorry." Scootaloo held her hooves together, with her head bowed, "Please teach me oh great and powerful master of the air."

Rumble looked considerate, until he got whacked upside the head by the orc, "Hay what gives!?" Rumble glared.

"Only the weak feel the need to make others grovel." Ghak glared with her arms crossed.

Rumble blushed. "I was only teasing!" he insisted, then looked back at Scootaloo. "Of course I'll help you."

Scootaloo hugged him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

"After class!" Rumble made clear, "My parents threatened me with bottom-ly harm if I don't get good grades."

Scoot snorted and let go of him. "Maybe we will get cutie marks in spell casting!!! Can you imagine how valuable you'll be to the Wonderbolts then!?" she squealed.

Rumble looked considerate but shook his head. A flying cutie mark was the only way to go.

###

"RD," Twilight called as she stepped inside the blue Pegasus' home, a cloud mansion floating in the cloud district of Ponyville.

"Huh?" Rainbow blinked as she sat on a couch reading the latest Daring Do comic. Spike got her into these. They weren't as good as the books but they were still an interesting spinoff. They were written by a third party so basically only the characters were the same, but the new author kept true to them and was a clear fan of Daring Do.

Twilight calmly walked over, with a big suspicious smile that screamed. "I'm going to meddle in something that doesn't concern me."

All the girls had spare keys to each others places, and stopped by unannounced all the time. No, it was that smile that worried Dash.

"What you do?" Dash immediately accused, folding a page corner to bookmark her spot and putting the comic down.

"Why do you assume I did something!?" Twilight looked offended.

"Okay," Dash tried again. "What are you GOING to do?"

Twilight huffed. "Nothing, if that's your attitude."

"Thank Celestia." RD picked her comic back up.

Suddenly a folder slipped in front of it, glowing in purple light... a folder... from Ponyville Orphanage...

"Why didn't you tell me you were trying to adopt Scootaloo!" Twilight squealed with delight, clearly not asking.

"Because it doesn't concern you!" RD stood up and stormed into the kitchen, unfortunately Twilight followed.

"That's where your wrong," Twilight half sang. "I can use my pull as Princess to move things along. I realize they rejected you but with MY endorsement they will be sure to-"

"Don't you get it, Twilight!?!" RD screamed. "They rejected me! I went in there and they told me I don't have the means to take care of a foal with special needs! It isn't just my barely above minimum wage salary, although that certainly didn't help. Look at my house! I live in a bucking CLOUD. A cloud house for a Pegasus that can't fly!!! How did I even think that could work!?"

"You could just get a new house," Twilight spoke as if it was so easy. "Selling this one would result in a good few bits for a nice house on the ground."

RD was just staring at Twilight, eerily calm. "This was my Grandfather's house. He left it for me, after he..." She couldn't get it out. "It's all I have left of him." She looked away.

Twilight felt her throat dry, and took a gulp to wetten it. "I didn't know."

"Didn't you ever wonder how I could afford a place as nice as this on my salary?" RD asked.

"I kinda just assumed you were in debt up to your eyeballs." Twilight gave a light smile.

Dash took a moment to share in it, then sighed. "I was given a choice between my Grandfather's house and giving a lonely orphan a home... Love Tap was right... I'm not good enough for Scootaloo..."
> Ch6: The First Slave
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sombra looked over the wizard city from a grand tower. At the massive crowd of Muggles and Squibs that piled over to hear HER wisdom. There were even a few half bloods in the mix. He must admit, even he was awed by her power. 

"Are you enjoying your new life out of the Ether?" 

Sombra turned to see a tall white Unicorn. She was beautiful yet battle scarred. Her tail was missing and she wore a plague mask, some say to hide the hideous disfigurements on her once beautiful face. She dressed in flowing black robes, adorned with skulls of various sentient species. Well mostly pony and human, there were a few skulls of creatures he didn't recognize. She had turned their bones into body armor and wore her cloak over it. The robes curved and were cut in such a way her Cutie mark was easily visible. The mark was an open book with a human skeleton standing on it, all burning in green flames 

Sombra looked at her a moment, then back at her growing crowd, "Shouldn't you be giving a speech? I heard you had some great new invention to reveal."

"The speech can wait." She assured, her voice beautiful yet sent a chill down his spine, "I needed to see how my weapon was doing."

"Weapon indeed," Sombra sneered. Looking out into the crowd, "Though you migh not find me to be quite so cruel a tool as the legend demands. After all, history is written by the victor."

She said nothing in response merely stared at him from behind her mask. Sombra could feel her eyes on him.

After a moment of enduring the creepy stares, he explained, "The three tribes don't like to admit it, but there are far more then 3 kinds of ponies. There are the horses of Saddle Arabia. The Bat Ponies, evolved from Thestrals. The Seaponies, the Hippogriffs, even the changelings. We are all part of the same Animal Family. As we were all, once, the same species... this includes the Crystal Ponies... and my own creatures...

"Shadow Ponies evolved from a race of magical horses called 'Nightmares' but we are no more evil then the Bat Ponies... they just wanted to live their lives... the Crystal Ponies saw our very existence as unholy... Crystal ponies are creatures of light, descended from celestial beings. Where Shadow ponies are, by our nature, creatures of the night... It is the Crystal Ponies holy duty to cleans Equus of all dark things. And so they hunted us to extinction... all but me... 

"I was only a child, a baby... prince to the fallen king... to the victor goes the spoils." Sombra looked back at the demon Unicorn, "I was a trophy. An exotic pet... bastards even had me gelded to insure my race dies with me... I grew up in the Empire, as the princess' personal slave, though we had no word for it... she was kind... her mother, the Queen, was not... As I said, I was a baby when they took me. I didn't know anything about my ponies, nor my native powers... I was beaten the first time I accidentally used my shadow bending... all I knew was that I was a captive forced to labor, hated by all... but the Princess...

"One day she helped me escape... she freed me... she pointed me in a direction and told me to run... to not stop until I learned where I came from... it was several weeks in a cold blizzard until I found what she was talking about... the ruins of my father's kingdom. What I found, at first, startled me."

"Wendigos," the demon mare simply said.

Sombra studied her a moment, was the true history not so lost as he imagined? Or was she just a master of finding the truth behind lost things. "They had taken shelter in my family's ruins. And in gratitude they taught me of my ponies." Sombra lightly touched his cape, "Even gave me momentos of my family line. They educated me, taught me to read and write, such knowledge long kept out of my reach. Then they showed me the royal library, which was filled with secret spell tomes and dark rituals I used to unlock my full power. They showed me true kindness, not out of pity but respect. They believed I could save them from suffering my ponies fate.

"They held nothing from me, telling up front of the prophecy and how I was their only hope... and telling me about the war between my ponies and the Crystal ponies... a war so old and ancient no pony even remember what started it... who was truly in the wrong...

"Then Princess Luna warned the leaders of both our civilizations. She had a vision... she foresaw the destruction of both our great ponies if we didn't end the war... the Crystal ponies offered us a peace treaty... after so long my ponies thought the war was finally at an end... it was a sham... they used the signing as an excuse to get all of their army behind our walls... then, with the ink still wet on our treaty, the begun their attack... they killed everypony... not even the children were spared... only me, as a trophy. As a warning to the other tribes... yet somehow, history has forgotten all that...

"I returned to the Crystal Empire, blessed by the darkest of magics my ponies had long since forbidden... and learned the Queen executed her own daughter... for the 'blasphemy' of showing pity to me... that is when I knew. Crystal ponies are the true definition of evil. So sinister in their hearts they believe their actions holy... still I showed them kindness. I refused to fulfill the prophecy. I killed some, yes, many actually. I will not deny I took pleasure from it. But I let most live. I insured their species would survive... I was the first slave ever known to ponykind... and I created an army of more...

"The Crystal ponies will not escape Justice! They will pay for what they did to my ponies. History will remember their atrocities!... and I will be harold as the hero who saved them from themselves. I have no interest in whatever goal you saved me for! I will bring Justice to a race of monsters!"

The demon unicorn looked at the last shadow pony. She simply reminded, in the tone of a kind teacher speaking to a dim witted child, "The ponies that committed those atrocities are long dead. A thousand years passed in the Ether, with their civilization still growing and changing outside our dimension. None of the ponies you tormented, for the last few hundred years, had anything to do with what happened to you or your ponies. Punishing those for the crimes of their ancestors is not the pony way."

"It is not the pony way to commit GENOCIDE!!!" Sombra sneered.

"You are consumed by a need for vengeance. I understand that, believe me, no creature understands that desire better then I, but we both already got it. The creatures that wronged us are dead, by our own hooves. Yet the knowledge leaves us hollow. It is time we found new purpose. I gave you back your life, and it is of course yours to do with as you wish, but you should try to recognize your vengeance was completed a long time ago. You have become the Tyrant you fought against, but at my side, we can insure what happened to us never happens to anyone else. We can bring forth true justice. A new order for both these worlds. To at last live in peace..."

Sombra looked at the group outside, "How do you expect to do that?"

The unicorn watched the crowd with him, "By burning both worlds to the ground, and building one paradise from their ashes. A place where all creatures live in Harmony. Where Crystal ponies live side by side Shadow ponies with no malice or hate."

Sombra snorted, "Well I don't doubt your power, Faust knows I can feel it, how do you plan to make Crystal ponies make nice with a long dead race?"

"... By resurrecting them of course."

Sombra froze.

"It is within my power to bring back a fallen species. Not the ponies themselves but it would just require the right know how to birth a new Generation of pure blooded Shadow ponies from my Cauldron."

Sombra's throat went dry, "Could you truly bring them back?"

"Those humans down there," she gestured with her hoof, "Are here because I am nothing less then the most powerful Necromancer who ever lived. I give them more then comfort. I give them the very souls they lost back in mortal form. Does creating a body, without having to fish for a specific soul, really sound beyond my power?"

Sombra gulped at the possibility. He never imagined he could have little Shadow ponies running around at his hooves... still... "Is this the part where you demand my help in exchange for bringing back my dead race?"

The plague mask turned to him, "I plan to do that regardless. All I need from you is a vial of your blood, to duplicate indefinitely, and a soul to sacrifice. Anything will do, although I am favorable to cats, Celestia do I hate cats. I won't even go the super villain route. By the end of the day, you will have your first shadow pony companion, even a few foals to soften your heart... and I will continue to make more regardless if you help me or not. I will even turn them over to you. 

"If you choose to repay this kindness, then I ask you and your new civilization join me, but I will not force the issue."

"Forgive me if I question your generosity when you started this conversation by calling me a weapon." Sombra eyed.

She just smirked behind her mask, "Was that what triggered your little speech. I hate to disillusion you but you are not the 'weapon' I was talking about. Though I would be happy to show it to you."

Sombra blinked, still he got the feeling everything she said was delicately calculated.

She pulled out, what appeared to be, a purple stone from her robes.

Sombra studied it, curiously, "Crystallized magic? Those are rather commonplace in Equestria. How can that help you shape the world?"

She chuckled, "I have done a bit of work on it, to unlock it's full potential. Ponies have tried for so long to create wands. Well this may be a good deal more primitive, even Earth Ponies can use it." She looked out at the growing crowd of humans, "Even Squibs..."

Sombra looked at the crowd of thousands as the implications hit him.

"You gave them back their families that fell in the war... so that they would be more willing to stand by your side in another."

"It is easy to earn loyalty. Love, you'll find, is a compelling currency. But they will have the same choice as you. Help me or don't, I will not retaliate... not unless they act against me. If they chose to make themselves my enemy I can easily return the ones they lost to the Ether, but that is a last resort if reason cannot prevail. 

"I am not some mindless dark lord hoping to conquer the world for my own satisfaction. I am trying to save it. Even with all the help from the ponies the wizarding race is doomed to die. The Squibs are the future, but even they are in danger so long as the muggles control this world. Our own isn't much better. Equestria may be at peace but the rest of the world struggles for survival. It is time we helped them... even if they don't accept that help willingly.

"Celestia is weak. She has become old and frail. The successor she has chosen is no better. A whiny child that lacks the experience and temperament for ruling. Creatures need ponies like us to protect them from themselves."

"You never did give me a name," Sombra eyed her, "What should I call this new ruler of a better world?"

She scuffed, "I will not rule it. I told you. I am no Dark Lord. I may intend to write the constitution but when I am done all races will sit on a Senate of elected officials. They will pass the laws and budgets. I intend to be more a figure head and spiritual leader, with no real political power."

Sombra eyed, "Your avoiding my question with propaganda." He could practically feel her smile behind her mask.

"That is because it is a more difficult question then you believe. My name was stolen from me, like many things, but who I have become? You may call me, Lady Necro."
> Ch7: Goblins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia smiled as she made small talk with the Overseer, ruler of the Goblins. They were sitting at her casual meeting room. The goblin didn't look particularly comfortable, sitting on the fluffy pillow on the floor. Still, his respect for ponies outweighed the indignity.

Equestria may be rich in gems, but they had always had a shortage of metals. While the dragon lands were filled with metal, they weren't particularly interested in letting the ponies mine their territory for a resource they saw no value in.

The Goblins had various mining and smelting operations, though gold was their major export. They also had mastered the art of turning bauxite ore into Aluminum and were selling that for near nothing to the muggles... but Ponies saw it's true value.

After Celestia returned to Earth, she made sure to contact the new Overseer and resume the trading agreement they had a thousand years ago. Various metals (such as copper and aluminum) in exchange for magical gems and crystals. There were laws against privateers trading gold for them, given that would greatly disrupt their economy. 

Magical stones were all but worthless in Equestria. Yes, they were used for power, but they were so common that wasn't an issue. However so many necessary metals were in such abundance on Earth, muggles used something as extravagant as Aluminum as disposable containers for soft drinks.

Both Goblins and Ponies had something common place to themselves, but that the other greatly desired.

While their creatures exchanged their goods, the Goblin Overseer was looking at the pony with an increasingly calculating expression. He clearly wanted to ask something but was worried it may be taken as disrespectful.

"The Goblin Nation lost a lot of power after you evacuated Earth plane." He finally said. "You could have easily stayed in touch with the various magical races well refusing trade with the wizards." he accused.

Celestia sighed, "We are not perfect. Our leaders can be just as selfish as any other civilization... innocence is the shade of ignorance and, like children, my ponies can act impulsively and greedily... Starswirl was tired of being refused access to wands... He tried to steal the secrets... There was a Duel between himself and Merlin... The aftermath was a political nightmare. War seemed inevitable, we chose exile instead. We are lucky the wizards chose to forgive us and invited us back."

"If their was war, the magical beings would have supported you." insisted the Overseer.

"We ponies may be capable of defending ourselves, but we haven't a taste for it. We didn't want any creature getting hurt on our account, much less dying. Our mere presence was causing overwhelming tension for your world... but what of you?

"Goblins are so skilled in metallic Alchemy and crafting. You even created pocket dimensions for each of your metal workings and connected them to your 'Gringotts' buildings... which made moving your banks difficult without severing the connection to your various dimensions."

The Overseer grinned, "You found a way though."

Celestia smiled back, "My unicorns are taught interdimensional physics as a popular elective. We might not be as good at it as your creatures, but near all our buildings have it to a degree... though Time Ponies remain masters of the 'Bigger on the Inside' enchantments when compared to both our creatures." She took a sip of her drink, "However, my point remains... Why didn't you inherit the role of shepherding all the creatures? The wizards may have had their wands but you goblins were far more knowledgeable and respected. From what I have seen, the wizards have taken many of your enchantments and slapped their name on it... what occurred that your creatures would allow that?"

The Goblin sighed, "You overestimate yourselves. War happened without you, several in fact. If you had stayed, our world would not have suffered so much as it has. 

"For a time, Merlin united the muggles and wizards, even brought in magical creatures into his kingdom. Unfortunately, after his puppet King died, everything went to hell. Without King Arthur to keep the muggles in check, they went after all magical life. It wasn't a war so much as farmers attacking the 'demons' that lived nearby. 

"A Powerful wizard promised protection. My ancestors were stupid enough to listen... in exchange for his 'protection', he demanded a blood oath of loyalty."

Celestia couldn't stop herself, her regal demeanor fell as she let out a gasp.

The Overseer nodded gravely, "We are bound to this wizard's bloodline, all his descendants... which currently make up most of the family's of the Wizengamot, due to how inbred wizards are.

"But for generations we were enslaved to his direct descendants. He, himself, used us as Canon Fodder and the attack hounds for his Orcs... we used to have a blood feud with the Orcs, due to their treatment of us, despite both of us being this families property. However they made it up to us and then some. 

"A rogue group of them assassinated the last Goblin King and his family... They left no one who knew the secret of our oath. Then they gave themselves up, so that they might die honorable deaths... and with their blood, we forgave all Orcs... they did everything right... by our own laws and code of honor, and asked for nothing in return, not even mercy... they have grown into an honorable people... saving an enemy, well knowing it would cost them their lives for justice sake... Since then, Orcs and Goblins have been the closest of true Allies."

"What were their names?" Celestia asked.

The Overseer shrugged, "I have no idea. Their names were stricken from history as part of their punishment. They were buried in an unmarked, mass grave, declared traitors to the Goblin King... and harold as heroes by every Goblin child since. We at least know where the grave is, a temple was built over it. All young goblins are expected to make a pilgrimage their to pay their respects to the Nameless." 

The Overseer smiled. "Luckily, we have kept this secret ever since, so the wizard's direct descendants have not understood enough to claim the title of 'Goblin King'." The Overseer gave a predatory smile, "If not for fear of how her descendants would rule. I would consider telling the newest descendant her birthright. The wizard had a squib child, whom the orcs missed due to being cast out of the family. Recently that family line regained their magic and returned, but they are unaware of the title waiting for them to claim."

"May I ask who you trust so much you would consider them worthy of such an honor?"

Normally the Overseer would not consider doing so... but this was an Alicorn, and out of them their was none more trustworthy then Celestia. The Overseer smiled, "The current wizarding Minister, Hermione Granger."

Celestia chuckled, "Yes, I have had the privilege of meeting her. I imagine she could do wanders for your ponies."

"She actually robbed one of our vaults once. Thinks she got away with it. She doesn't realize how stubborn we goblins are. It took a few months but we were able to trace the theft back to her." He laughed, "Truthfully all she had to do is ask and we would give her everything in all our vaults. If we had known she was the thief at the time, it would have saved us a lot in property damage. It became a closed matter as everything we own and guard is technically her's anyway... it didn't hurt she used the item to help defeat the last dark lord."

"Lord Overseer!!!" a junior goblin screamed in clear panic, "The Goblin King!!! A new Goblin King wishes to claim the throne!!!"

###

The Overseer growled as he saw this new "Goblin King". It wasn't Hermione Granger. It wasn't even a wizard.

"Lady Necro," The Overseer sneered.

The scarred unicorn smiled behind her plague mask. "Overseer." She acknowledged.

"By what way do you lay claim to the Goblin nation?" The Overseer did his best to remain calm. To not show how royally "peeved" (as the ponies would say) he was.

"By way of conquest." Lady Necro took a human skull off her necklace.

Celestia stiffened, "You... killed... the Minister?"

Lady Necro looked up at her, as if she hadn't noticed the Princess. She stayed quiet for several moments... before Answering, "No, this is the skull of her eldest daughter." As she passed it to the Goblin to inspect.

"Granger's daughter has not reached her majority." The Overseer sneered, looking at the skull, "She has no claim to the throne, as of yet. It would appear you killed a child for-" He stopped, taking full account of the skull, "This skull is 17 years of age... and bares the mark of the Goblin King on it's soul..."

"How is that possible?" Celestia eyed the unicorn suspiciously, "May I inspect it?"

Lady Necro smiled behind her mask, "I was hoping you would."

Celestia's horn glowed, as did the skull. She scowled herself, "This skull is indeed Rose Weasley... from 6 years in the future." She glared.

"There are no laws for any crimes committed beyond recorded Time." Lady Necro reminded.

"Because there has never been a powerful enough mage to cast the spells, who also had a willingness to abuse them so thoroughly."

Lady Necro shrugged as she took the skull back, "By way of Conquest, I claim the Goblin throne."

The Overseer sneered, but got down on one knee, "I acknowledge what is already your's... My King..."

"Good." Lady Necro nodded, "Then my first act as Goblin King... is to release you from my service."

The Overseer stiffened, looking up at her.

"You are no longer bound to my family line..." Lady Necro insisted, "It's what Rose would have wanted." then she turned... and began to leave.

Celestia stopped her, "So you killed an innocent to free those under her claim?"

Lady Necro eyed her, "I never said I killed her. Only that I claimed her soul after the fact. It still gives me the right to claim what was her's, by Goblin law."

The Overseer continued to stare at her, "By Goblin law... you are right... it is yours to claim. We never made rules regarding Time Travel being used to subvert Way of Conquest."

"I'm aware. Now if you will excuse me," She whipped her robes, and left the room.

Celestia was still a tad bit confused. Regardless she looked at the Overseer and asked, "What now?"

"Now?" The Overseer grinned a feral grin, "We take back what's ours."

###

Rose ate her lunch, pretending not to notice Sweetie Belle chose to sit with them, instead of choosing between her friends.

Applebloom and Scootaloo sat at different tables, as to not cause another fight between their new friends... the house rivalry was getting to them despite the first night's feast.

Diamond was reading a copy of the prophet, an emergency addition. Rose decided to finish her sandwich before she read her own copy.

"How bad is this?" Diamond frowned, looking at the paper. "Surely there are other banks."

To that, Rose casually looked at the headline... and went numb. Snatching up her paper she read "Vaults Reclaimed, All Wizards denied access to their vaults by ruling of the Goblin Overseer".